The Photo of Pan American Airways Flight 1736
The photo of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Flight 4805
27 March 1977
Next to the shores of Africa, the small green islands floating on warm seas. The two small island mentioned were united and called the Canary Islands. Mostly, people will go here to enjoy the
sunny beaches. The passengers on Pan Am 1736 and KLM 4805 though they were on their way to paradise but on this case they were on the road to hell.
It began on a Sunday afternoon as Pan Am flight 1736 took off from Los Angeles Airport on their way to Gran Canaria. KLM flight 4805 was half an hour behind them so that is why the KLM landed earlier at Tenerife. The story of why they were redirected to Tenerife was the Gran Canaria Airport was closed after a bomb exploded. "Pan American flight 1736, the airport is closed. Redirect to Tenerife via 13 VOR" said the Gran Canaria controller on duty. "Gran Canaria, can we circle around the airport until it reopens? We have another 2 hours a fuel left with us. Please give us permission, over" questioned Captain Grubbs to the controller. "Negative. I repeat the airport is closed. please redirect to Los Rodeos via 13 VOR." said the contoller. Without further hesitation, the Pan Am pilot followed orders and redirect itself to Los Rodeos Airport.
The controller then informed the KLM crew and it was proved to be bad news to Captain Yaakub (Jacob) Veldhuyzen Van Zanten and the crew on board as KLM can only allow minimum stopovers during flights and limits in flying or so called "Flight regulations". So the crew were forced and cannot hesitate about the redirection to Los Rodeos. Then, here is the first caused of this disaster. Its because of a terrorist bomb, many people died. Now, at Tenerife, the KLM landed first and then followed by the Pan Am. The people on the KLM are brought to the terminal while the Pan Am passegers were forced to stay in the cabin because to fully passenger packed terminal. This decision made all the passengers on board so unhappy since they were trapped in there for almost 9 hours. For almost 2 hours, the airport then reopened and the Pan Am and KLM were forced to wait for the other aircrafts there to take off first. They were further delayed because of the decision of Van Zanten to refuel there.
For 3 hours on the tarmac, finally they were ready for take off. The KLM started to go down the runway while followed by the Pan Am. This formation was called "back track". Since Los Rodeos had only one runway that time, the planes were forced to follow behind each other. The plan is the KLM will stop at the end of the runway and the Pan Am will use the exits to give way for the KLM to take off and then followed by them. At that time, the airport started to go into a foggy condition and this usually would happen everyday. As the KLM reached and turned onto the runway (facing the Pan Am), he said, "Ok. Were in position now...(The powering of the engines were heard)" suddenly Van Zanten 's co pilot said, "Wait! We dont have any Air Traffic Control clearance!". "Go ahead, ask for it now, genius." said Van Zanten again. Suddenly, when the co-pilot was informing take off clearance from the controller, he said, "We're going!". The engines were powered up and the rumbled down the runway.
The Pan Am that time was just approaching the exit and about to turn off the runway. When Grubbs saw the lights of the KLM speeding towards him, he screamed, "Look at that! God damn it! That son-of-a-bitch is coming straight at us!!!". He applied full throttle and tried to get off the runway. The last words from Van Zanten was, "God, damn.". He pulled up to avoid the Pan Am plane which nearing them. Fatally, the plan did not work. the KLM slammed into the Pan Am resulting the first class of the Pan Am to be destroyed. Then, it continued to fly for 500 meters and slammed itself onto the ground resulting a fireball. All the passengers on the KLM died while 61 people including the cockpit crew of the Pan Am survived. After the investigation, they made different reports according to the countries involved. The American investigators blamed Van Zanten for the crash, the Spanish also blamed Van Zanten and the Dutch blamed Air Traffic Control at Los Rodeos.
It began on a Sunday afternoon as Pan Am flight 1736 took off from Los Angeles Airport on their way to Gran Canaria. KLM flight 4805 was half an hour behind them so that is why the KLM landed earlier at Tenerife. The story of why they were redirected to Tenerife was the Gran Canaria Airport was closed after a bomb exploded. "Pan American flight 1736, the airport is closed. Redirect to Tenerife via 13 VOR" said the Gran Canaria controller on duty. "Gran Canaria, can we circle around the airport until it reopens? We have another 2 hours a fuel left with us. Please give us permission, over" questioned Captain Grubbs to the controller. "Negative. I repeat the airport is closed. please redirect to Los Rodeos via 13 VOR." said the contoller. Without further hesitation, the Pan Am pilot followed orders and redirect itself to Los Rodeos Airport.
The controller then informed the KLM crew and it was proved to be bad news to Captain Yaakub (Jacob) Veldhuyzen Van Zanten and the crew on board as KLM can only allow minimum stopovers during flights and limits in flying or so called "Flight regulations". So the crew were forced and cannot hesitate about the redirection to Los Rodeos. Then, here is the first caused of this disaster. Its because of a terrorist bomb, many people died. Now, at Tenerife, the KLM landed first and then followed by the Pan Am. The people on the KLM are brought to the terminal while the Pan Am passegers were forced to stay in the cabin because to fully passenger packed terminal. This decision made all the passengers on board so unhappy since they were trapped in there for almost 9 hours. For almost 2 hours, the airport then reopened and the Pan Am and KLM were forced to wait for the other aircrafts there to take off first. They were further delayed because of the decision of Van Zanten to refuel there.
For 3 hours on the tarmac, finally they were ready for take off. The KLM started to go down the runway while followed by the Pan Am. This formation was called "back track". Since Los Rodeos had only one runway that time, the planes were forced to follow behind each other. The plan is the KLM will stop at the end of the runway and the Pan Am will use the exits to give way for the KLM to take off and then followed by them. At that time, the airport started to go into a foggy condition and this usually would happen everyday. As the KLM reached and turned onto the runway (facing the Pan Am), he said, "Ok. Were in position now...(The powering of the engines were heard)" suddenly Van Zanten 's co pilot said, "Wait! We dont have any Air Traffic Control clearance!". "Go ahead, ask for it now, genius." said Van Zanten again. Suddenly, when the co-pilot was informing take off clearance from the controller, he said, "We're going!". The engines were powered up and the rumbled down the runway.
The Pan Am that time was just approaching the exit and about to turn off the runway. When Grubbs saw the lights of the KLM speeding towards him, he screamed, "Look at that! God damn it! That son-of-a-bitch is coming straight at us!!!". He applied full throttle and tried to get off the runway. The last words from Van Zanten was, "God, damn.". He pulled up to avoid the Pan Am plane which nearing them. Fatally, the plan did not work. the KLM slammed into the Pan Am resulting the first class of the Pan Am to be destroyed. Then, it continued to fly for 500 meters and slammed itself onto the ground resulting a fireball. All the passengers on the KLM died while 61 people including the cockpit crew of the Pan Am survived. After the investigation, they made different reports according to the countries involved. The American investigators blamed Van Zanten for the crash, the Spanish also blamed Van Zanten and the Dutch blamed Air Traffic Control at Los Rodeos.
The Remains of KLM 4805(After collision)
The remains of Pan Am 1736 (After collision)
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