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Spantax Flight 995
1982 aviation accident in Spain From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Spantax Flight 995 was an international charter flight from Madrid–Barajas Airport to New York via Málaga Airport. On 13 September 1982, when the DC-10 aircraft was rolling for take-off from Malaga, the pilot felt a strong and worsening vibration and aborted the take-off. The aircraft was unable to stop in the runway available and overran the runway, hitting numerous structures, crossing the nearby highway, collided with several vehicles before bursting into flames. A total of 50 people were killed in the accident.[2][3]
Spanish investigators concluded that the crash was mainly caused by a faulty tire. A failure on one of the tires' treads created worsening vibration on the aircraft during the take-off roll. The crew decided to abort the take-off but due to the aircraft's speed at the time and the lack of remaining runway length, the aircraft eventually overran the runway and crashed. The decision to abort the take-off, however, was deemed as reasonable.[1]
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Aircraft
The aircraft involved in the accident was a 5-year-old McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30CF. It was delivered to Overseas National Airways (ONA) on June 6, 1977. The aircraft was leased by Spantax in October 1978 and bought in December of that year. At the time of the accident the aircraft had 15,364 flight hours.[1]
Passengers and crew
The aircraft was carrying 381 passengers and 13 crew in two cabins of service. Among the 381 passengers were mostly American tourists, who had booked a trip around the Spanish coast. Officials from the United States confirmed that a total of 210 American tourists were on board,[4] while the remainders were non-Americans. Among the non-Americans, a total of 165 Spaniards were on board, of whom 85 were U.S residents.[5] A tour company from Canada stated that a total of 26 Canadians were booked on the flight. A Swiss national was also confirmed to be on board.[6]
Among the passengers were Francisca Salazar and Natividad Cons, the sister-in-law and niece of then-President of Spanish flag-carrier Iberia, Francis Cons.[7]
The captain was 55-year-old Juan Pérez, who had logged almost 16,129 flight hours, including 2,119 hours on the DC-10. The first officer was 33-year-old Carlos Ramírez, who had logged almost 6,489 flight hours, with 2,165 of them on the DC-10. The flight engineer was 33-year-old Teodoro Cabejas Barúque, who had logged 19,427 flight hours, including 2,116 on the DC-10.[1]
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Accident
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The flight had begun in Palma de Mallorca earlier in the morning, operating as Iberia Flight 4439 with 121 passengers, 13 crew members and an additional 4 Spantax employees, and made a routine stopover at Madrid–Barajas Airport. In Madrid, a total of 129 passengers boarded the aircraft, heading for Málaga as Spantax Flight 995. It arrived in Málaga at 08:20 local time. By this time, an undisclosed number of passengers had disembarked from the aircraft; however, a total of 251 additional passengers embarked on the flight. The aircraft was almost at full weight, with every seat in the aircraft being booked. The flight's final destination was New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.[1]: 10
Crash
At 09:58:50 local time, the aircraft was cleared for take-off on Runway 14. The flaps were set to 8 degrees, and the slats were extended. The throttles were fully pushed forward. Just seconds from reaching V1 (162 knots), passengers and crews began to feel vibrations on the aircraft. Both pilots were initially startled by the vibration but chose to continue the takeoff. After reaching VR (169 knots), the nose was pulled, and the vibrations started to get worse. At 175 knots, Captain Pérez, believing that he would lose all control of the aircraft if he continued, decided to abandon the take-off and pushed the nose down, slamming the aircraft's nose gear down and applied full reverse thrust and brakes.[1]: 59–63
As the aircraft rapidly approached the runway's end, Captain Pérez had to quickly switched his right hand from the control column to the throttle to apply the reversers. Unfortunately, during the panic, his right hand had slipped on the throttle for engine No.3, causing a slight thrust asymmetry as only the No.1 and No.2 engines were put into reverse. This eventually caused the aircraft to sway to the left. Knowing that there was not enough runway length to stop the aircraft, he ordered the engines to be shut down.[1] : 59–63
An audio-visual specialist at Pace University, Carlton Maloney, was recording audiotape during the take-off as part of a series of recordings of airplane takeoffs and landings. In the recording, passengers could be heard panicking and screaming as the aircraft started to lose control.[8]
The aircraft eventually overshot the runway, striking multiple landing lights. Its engine No.3, which was located on the right wing, then slammed onto an ILS structure, causing it to detach from the wing. The aircraft then struck the airport's metal perimeter fence, passing over the Malaga-Torremolinos Highway and striking a truck and two cars, seriously injuring the truck driver. It eventually collided with a farm building with its right wing. The collision ripped off three quarters of the right wing and the right horizontal stabilizer, sparking the overwing fuel tanks and igniting a huge explosion.[1]: 20–22, 75
The collision with the structures created gaping hole on the walls of the fuselage, specifically on the top part of the passenger compartment near the emergency door 4R. The holes enabled the fire to immediately enter the cabin, burning 8 people who were seated in the area to their deaths.[1]: 22
The aircraft eventually came to rest in a field about 450 m (1,475 feet) past the runway threshold.[1]
Rescue operation
As the aircraft came to a stop, heavy fumes and thick smokes immediately entered the cabin, and passengers quickly got up and rushed toward the exits. The aircraft had lost its electricity due to the severity of the crash, and thus the pilots could not send evacuation orders to the cabin crews. The cabin crews immediately ordered evacuation and tried to reach the megaphones to address and guide the passengers, however due to their difficult-to-reach location they opted to quickly attend to the passengers.[1]: 22–27
There were three cabins inside the aircraft: The forward cabin, the middle and the aft cabin. Due to the destruction of the right wing and the subsequent explosion and flames, evacuation through the exits on the right side were not safe, so passengers were quickly ordered to leave the aircraft through the left side. The evacuation was chaotic, with passengers being trampled and seats were jumped over.[9][10] In the forward and middle cabin, evacuation of the passengers was hampered as many passengers decide to take their bags with them. Some of them tried to open the overhead cabins to retrieve their belongings, causing a significant jam. The flight attendants in the forward and middle cabin managed to open three emergency doors number, which were door number 1R, 1L and 2L.[1]: 22–27
Emergency door number 2R, which was located on the right side of the middle cabin, was initially not used since the flight attendant stationed nearby saw fires near the door, thus concluded that it was not safe for evacuation and opted to guide the passengers to the left emergency door. A passenger eventually decided to open it, and a total of 4 passengers evacuated through the exit. Due to the door being opened, fire eventually managed to enter the middle cabin.[1]: 22–27
Meanwhile, in the aft cabin, passengers were panicking as fire from the outside managed to enter the cabin through the holes and gaps and ignited the seats, causing further panic among the passengers. Thick smoke and fumes limited visibility, creating more difficulty in the evacuation. The cabin was also the most heavily occupied area, and since the impact had caused deformities on two of the four available exits, this created a heavy jam within the corridors. Three flight attendants seated at the back of the aircraft had tried to open the emergency doors number 4R and 4L; however, both doors were unable to be opened, likely due to them being deformed. The three attendants were quickly overcome by smoke.[11][1]: 22–27
As there was only one emergency exit that could be used by the passengers who were seated at the aft cabin, which was emergency door number 3L, a huge traffic jam occurred on the left corridor of the cabin. Many passengers had also tried to take their personal belongings before leaving the aircraft, further causing jam. Cabin separators had also caused the passengers to not know that there were other exits that could be used, causing passengers to still be heavily distributed on the single, emergency door number 3L. The fumes eventually incapacitated dozens of passengers.[1]: 22–27
Rescue services eventually arrived in less than 5 minutes. Apparently, one of the ATC workers had prepared to raise the alarm following the aircraft's botched take-off roll. Personnel from Malaga Air Base were also quickly deployed after noticing that the aircraft had overran the runway. The first to arrive was the Spanish Air Force, followed by medical personnel from the airport. The Civil Guard, the National Police, the Red Cross were also involved in the rescue operation. According to the survivors, the first firefighter arrived around 30 minutes after the crash. Rescue services initially had difficulty accessing the crash site due to the traffic jam in the highway.[1]: 22–27
During the evacuation, the tanks began to explode as the remaining fuel had ignited. Some of the passengers had tried to help the evacuation and rescue operation. According to a recount from one of the rescue services, one of the passengers had managed to evacuate 10 fellow passengers from the aircraft before an explosion occurred. That same passenger was later found to be dead.[12]
The surviving passengers were taken to the airport's terminal, where they were assessed for injuries. A total of 116 people were taken care of by medics on the airport's sick bay, while 49 passengers were transported to Malaga Carlos Haya Hospital for further treatment. Overall, a total of 110 people had sustained injuries. At least 13 passengers were treated in the ICU and were deemed to be in critical condition.[3] Due to the slow evacuation, 42 people died of smoke inhalation. The bodies of those who died mostly were found at the aft cabin, particularly near the rear.[1]: 22–27
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Response
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Immediately after the accident, the civil governor of Malaga, José Estévez Méndez, visited the site and directed the search and rescue efforts. Later in the afternoon, multiple high-ranking Spanish officials arrived at the airport, including then-Spanish Minister of Transport, Tourism, and Communications, Luis Gámir; President of Andalusia Rafael Escuredo; and Spanish Prime Minister Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo. At the airport, Gámir announced that they were investigating all possible theories during a press conference. He later added the updated figures of the death toll, including those who were still listed as missing. Malaga's mayor, Pedro Aparicio, stated that they would provide everything for the care of the injured passengers.[13]
In response to the crash, calls for blood donations were issued throughout Malaga. All hospitals were notified, and thousands of residents of Malaga lined up towards donation centers to donate their blood. Hotels across the city were used for temporary accommodation for the survivors and relatives of the victims.[14]
During the salvage operation, the Spanish Civil Guard managed to recover two and a half million pesetas from a double-deck suitcase from the wreckage. The discovery might have pointed to a currency theft, as at the time of the crash only 800 pesetas were allowed to be brought out from Spain.[15]
A memorial service was held at Malaga Airport for the victims of the crash. Relatives were flown to Spain, which provided free flights and accommodations. The identified victims were lined up inside a military chapel in simple wooden caskets. The service was attended by at least 500 people, including government officials. Surviving passengers, including several injured ones, also attended the service. Medical personnel had to carry some of the attendees during the service as their composure broke.[16][17]
For American passengers stranded in Spain, the US government organized repatriation flights. A special flight operated by Iberia was organized for the survivors of the crash, who would be flown to New York.[18][19] The government later set up more flights with the United States Air Force, sending a Lockheed C-141 and military and medical personnel from West Germany to bring the remaining U.S. nationals back home.[20]
Following the crash, Spanish newspaper El País published a harsh criticism of Spantax. In the editorial note, the paper claimed Spantax had questionable company policies that compromised the safety of flights and deficiencies in multiple aspects, including lack of maintenance, overworked crew, and lack of fleet renewal. The newspaper stated that the 1973 oil crisis and its long-lasting effect had caused Spantax to introduce a cost-cutting policy, urging the government to intervene to avoid more accidents. Spantax defended the airline's safety record and called for calm as the investigation was still ongoing.[21][22]
The accident also put a spotlight on the DC-10. It was the seventh fatal accident involving the type, putting more trust issues among the public on the safety of the aircraft.[23] McDonnell Douglas said they wouldn't comment, as the investigation was still in its early stages.[24] Several members of the public, however, had voiced their frustrations and called the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to step up safety modifications on DC-10s.[25][22]
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Investigation
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An investigation team from the Spanish Civil Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Commission (CIAIAC) and the American National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was assembled to investigate the accident. The flight recorders were retrieved and sent to the manufacturer Sundstrand in Charlotte, North Carolina.[1]
Cause of vibration
Following the crash, investigators discovered pieces from the aircraft's tires during a visual inspection of the runway. They were found scattered in torn condition and in fragments. Recovered parts from the wreckage suggested that the pieces originated from tire no. 2 of the front gear. The findings indicated that the tire probably had burst during takeoff. The recovered pieces indicated the separation of several layers' weavings from each other. Examination on the pieces revealed that the rubber thread that had been sticking the layers together had been wearing thin, showing progressive failure. The failure eventually caused a series of holes to appear on the wheels.[1]: 27–50
Investigators stated that the faulty tire resulted from inadequate maintenance. The wheels were retreaded improperly, in that each layer of the wheels was not using adequate adhesive and the faulty condition of the rubber strip that had banded the layers together caused further deterioration to the tire's structural integrity. Due to the faulty retreading process, "bubbles" began to appear in several areas, further weakening the adhesion of each layer. Exposure to high temperature during the takeoff roll caused the tire to burst, likely happened during the aircraft's rotation. This, in turn, created heavy vibrations that caused the crew to abort the takeoff.[1]: 27–50
Aborted take-off
Due to the vibrations, the flight crew rejected the takeoff and attempted to stop the aircraft within the remaining runway distance. However, because the aircraft had already reached rotation speed (VR) and only 1,295 meters (4,249 ft) of runway remained, it was unable to stop in time. The aircraft overran the runway, struck several obstacles, ruptured its fuel tanks, and burst into flames. In a post-accident interview, Captain Pérez explained that he chose to abort the takeoff because he could not determine the exact cause or nature of the emergency and believed that continuing would likely result in loss of control.[1]: 50–57, 60–63
Aborting a takeoff after V1 was unusual, as airline procedures instruct flight crews to continue the takeoff once V1 is reached, unless the aircraft becomes physically incapable of flying. The investigation noted that pilots are generally trained to reject a takeoff only when a significant anomaly occurs before V1.[26] In Flight 995’s case, Captain Pérez initially intended to continue the takeoff but ultimately decided to abort when the vibrations intensified.[1]: 50–57, 60–63
Although the decision to reject the takeoff after V1 was outside standard procedures, investigators determined it was reasonable given the limited information available to the crew. Training at the time largely focused on engine-related failures during takeoff, so the crew did not recognize that the vibrations originated from the wheels. Believing the issue could be an engine problem, they initially continued past V1, as the aircraft could still fly with two functioning engines. However, when rotation began and the nose lifted, the vibrations worsened dramatically, leading Captain Pérez to believe the aircraft might become uncontrollable if they proceeded.[1]: 50–57, 60–63
Even after the abort decision, the crew still misinterpreted the source of the vibrations. The nose gear was located directly beneath and slightly behind the cockpit, causing the vibrations to feel as if they originated from the rear of the aircraft. The crew also did not feel vibration through the rudder pedals, which would typically occur with a wheel failure. Because the abort occurred at VR—169 knots—and much of the runway had already been used, the crew applied maximum braking and thrust reversers to avoid an overrun.[1]: 50–57, 60–63
The aircraft was configured with a flap setting of only 8 degrees, which required a longer stopping distance. Investigators concluded that had the flaps been set to 15 or 18 degrees, the aircraft still would have overrun the runway, but the stopping distance required would have been shorter.[1]: 53–57
Failed evacuation
The majority of the casualties were caused by smoke inhalation, which was directly caused by the chaotic evacuation of the occupants. Shortly after the crash, the evacuation order could not be announced, as the aircraft had suffered an electrical failure. The flight attendants couldn't go to the location where the megaphones were stored due to difficulty of access. Since the crash created holes in the fuselage walls, fire and smoke quickly filled the cabin, causing the passengers to panic. The lack of megaphones caused the cabin crew to lose control of the crowd. Survivors recounted that many of the passengers were trampled and shoved, and some even jumped above seats to reach the emergency exits as quickly as possible.[1]: 63–65
The passengers in the forward cabin were able to evacuate safely, as the available doors for evacuation were used properly, hence minimizing any jam from forming. In the middle cabin, the doors were only limited to three out of the four doors, one of which could not be used later on as the fire on the door eventually intensified and prevented anyone from using it. Many of the passengers and cabin crew seated in the forward and middle cabins survived the disaster.[1]: 63–65
The most populated area of the aircraft, the rear cabin, was the one where most of the casualties were found. Following the crash, both exit doors on the tailplane could not be used due to deformations that the crash had inflicted. The force of the crash created gaping holes on the walls, specifically near the 4R door, causing flames and fumes to immediately enter. As the crash caused a massive inferno on the right side, passengers were ordered to evacuate through the left side. Since both exit doors on the rear could not be used, the only available one was a single exit door on the left, door 3L.[1]: 63–65
With only a single door available for evacuation, the left corridor immediately became jam-packed, and the area around the door became a chokepoint. The situation was worsened by the fact that some passengers still tried to grab their personal belongings and suitcases from the overhead bins. The flight attendants seated at the rear had tried to open the other doors but quickly succumbed to the rapidly intensifying fires and smoke inside the cabin. As visibility plummeted, aggravated by the slide's destruction on the said door due to the crash, the evacuation was still conducted at a slow pace. Passengers at the back began to panic more, and many were trampled and shoved. Since the passengers in the forward and middle cabins managed to get out more swiftly than those in the rear cabin, the investigation noted that passengers in the rear cabin could have used the exits in the forward and middle cabins. However, due to the presence of cabin separators and reduced visibility due to dense smoke, the passengers could not evacuate through the cabins in the front.[1]: 63–65
Conclusion
The CIAIAC determined that the crash was caused by a rejected takeoff due to vibrations that had originated from a faulty nose wheel. The nose wheel, specifically tire no. 2, had been retreaded improperly which caused the tire to fail during the takeoff roll. The captain's decision to abort the takeoff was deemed to be reasonable enough considering his inability to identify the failure due to lack of time to identify the source and lack of training of failures during takeoff. Following the crash, the commission recommended crews to be trained on other failures than engine malfunctions on take-off and also called for passengers to be briefed about the dangers of taking their bags along with them and for crews to be in close reach of safety equipment such as megaphones and flashlights.[1]
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See also
- Galaxy Airlines Flight 203, vibrations after takeoff and pilot error caused the aircraft to stall
- Garuda Indonesia Flight 865, crew rejected takeoff leading to runway overrun
- British Airtours Flight 28M, a case of evacuation failure during aircraft fire
- Saudia Flight 163, a case of evacuation failure during fire due to crew error
References
External links
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