Crash over JFK

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 515.

Dan Air crash

On the 25^th of April, 1980 B 727 belonging to Dan Air airline was executing charter flight from Manchester( the UK) to Tenerife (Spain). When the aircraft was on final approach to the airport Tenerife controller gave a holding pattern clearance to it by using the phrase ‘turn to the left' when he should have said ‘turns to the left'( for circling). The captain complied with controller's instructions and directed the aircraft left towards the southeast into the area of high mountains. Ambiguous command of Spanish controller disorientated pilot. Moreover ATC cleared the traffic for unrealistic track for holding pattern. In mountainous area for this aircraft it was impossible.

So, the aircraft made a single left turn rather than making circles using left turns. The jet hit a mountain killing 146 people.

On the 25^th of January in 1990 B707 was carrying out the flight from Bogotá, Spain to JFK, New York. They were flying in holding pattern over JFK for over an hour due to thick fog at the airport. They burnt all the fuel which was already not sufficient for getting to their alternative Boston. Having the fuel for some minutes the pilots addressed the controller with the words “we are running of fuel, we request priority for landing”. For controller it wasn't an emergency and that's why priority was not cleared. Soon the engines flamed out due to exhaustion and the plane dived towards the ground.

Misunderstanding between ATC and pilot was caused by the fact that the controller was unaware of linguistic differences of the word “priority” which for Spanish-speaking pilots means emergency. 73 out of 149 people on board perished in the accident.