Investigation Summary
The flight was a domestic service from Madrid to Tenerife operated by a Lockheed Super Constellation named 'Santa Maria'. Upon arrival at Tenerife, the crew encountered dense fog with visibility reported between 100 and 500 meters, well below the authorized landing minimums. The pilot conducted an initial low pass at 21:06 and initiated a go-around. During the second attempt at 21:17, the pilot briefly sighted the runway threshold but lost visual contact with the remainder of the strip due to a bar of stratus clouds. The pilot decided to abort the landing and applied full power for another go-around. However, during the transition to a climb, the aircraft remained low enough to strike a scraper, a tractor, and a minivan located roughly 50 metres from the runway edge. The collision, involving the undercarriage and the lower aft fuselage, caused significant structural damage. The Constellation was unable to gain altitude, crashed into the western edge of the Los Rodeos gorge, slid 100 metres through farmland, and burst into flames.
Final Conclusions
The post-accident investigation determined the primary cause to be the pilot's decision to attempt a landing in weather conditions that were below established safety minimums. The inquiry concluded that the pilot should have diverted to the alternate airport at Las Palmas once it became clear that visibility at Los Rodeos was insufficient for a safe approach.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Crew Experience
Captain
Fatal
Copilot
Fatal
Systems & Failure Modes
Visual Approach Minimums
Regulatory limits defining the minimum visibility required for a pilot to attempt a landing; these were exceeded during the accident sequence.
Powerplant
The pilot applied full power to the four engines during the go-around, but the aircraft could not climb after striking ground equipment.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation named Santa Maria, in service since 1954.
- 02Visibility at the time was 100 to 500 meters, with 6/8 stratus clouds at 0 to 30 meters altitude.
- 03The aircraft struck a scraper and a tractor located 50 meters from the runway edge during a go-around attempt.
- 04The collision involved the aircraft's undercarriage and the lower aft part of the fuselage.
- 05There were 19 survivors among the 49 people on board; 30 people perished in the crash and subsequent fire.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Diversion Policy Reinforcement
Source ↗The investigation emphasized the necessity of diverting to alternates when destination weather is below minimums, rather than attempting multiple hazardous approaches. The inquiry specifically noted that the pilot should have diverted to Las Palmas once it was clear visibility was insufficient.