Tenerife. March, 27th, 1977.

[michael744]

Perhaps

Bedder believeit, I love your handle. Seems to me this thread has pretty much covered all the aspects known those who posted. There are many facts, derived from transcripts (complete?) and other sources. I remember the shock of that accident well. For me most of the ideas put forth here are intelligent and insightful. I have felt for many years that that complacency on the part of the Tenerife controllers played a large part. They just were not as involved, not as attentive, not as aware, did not use exact ICAO avaition phraseology in their communications. Yes, the Captain of the KLM flight could have been thinking any of the things mentioned here. It could have been from hurryupitis to downright egoism. What was in his mind is all speculation. Yes, the co-pilot could have taken over control of the aircraft, the F/E could have screamed ABORT. It is really all speculation on the motivation of the Captain. He is dead and even if alive no one can know what was in his mind during those moments when he obviously believed he was cleared for T/O and did just that...try to T/O. I have never seen any program, article, book or report by the Dutch (or anyone else) that really owned up to the critical part the KLM crew played in the accident. I've flown with many KLM jumpseat pilots and this topic has come up frequently. Never have I heard a Dutch KLM pilot agree that the KLM's crews actions were at the core of the accident. From my experience I have seen that when operating an aircraft, especially a high speed jet aircraft, if ones concentration is not totally on the job at hand (actively operating an aircraft)bad things can and do happen. It is very easy for one to have in their mind many things going on at once, and if they are distracting enough (divorce, death, disease, etc.) then it is easy for some to miss what would be obvious to anyone concentrating totally on the job. At his point it is a terrible tragedy in the past and a leanrning tool in the present. Is the lesson here for all involved keep your mind actively, totally focused on the job at hand, as attentive and aware as one can be and stopping all extraneous intermal mind/thought material until the brakes are set?