Investigation Summary
The flight originated in Madrid, stopped in Valencia, and was on its final leg to Ibiza. As the aircraft approached the island, the crew requested a direct visual approach to Runway 07 instead of the suggested Runway 25. During the descent, the crew engaged in casual conversation with the tower controller about a football match. This distraction, combined with foggy conditions and low clouds, led the pilots to descend below the safe minimum altitude of 2,000 feet. The aircraft struck the western slope of Mount Atalayasa at a speed of 278 knots. The impact occurred approximately 90 feet below the 1,515-foot summit. The impact was so violent that the aircraft broke into two sections, with the cockpit section clearing the ridge and coming to rest on the eastern slope. Initial search efforts were misdirected toward the sea until a local resident reported hearing an explosion on the mountain.
Final Conclusions
The official investigation concluded the primary cause was the crew's failure to maintain minimum flight altitude during a visual approach. Contributing factors included significant crew distraction due to extraneous conversation and a failure to monitor flight instruments, specifically the altimeter, while flying in conditions of reduced visibility (fog and low clouds).
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
Iberia Flight 602 Air Crash in the Mountains — A reconstruction and analysis of the 1972 crash of an Iberia Caravelle into the Sierra de Atalayasa near Ibiza, Spain.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
José Luis Ballester Sepúlveda, age 37.
First Officer
Jesús Montesinos Sánchez.
Flight Engineer
Vicente Rodríguez Mesa.
Systems & Failure Modes
Altimeter
The crew failed to properly monitor the altimeter, allowing the aircraft to descend below the 2,000-foot safety margin.
Rolls-Royce Avon 533R
The two turbojet engines powering the Caravelle VI-R.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was named 'Maestro Victoria' after composer Tomás Luis de Victoria.
- 02At the time, it was the second-deadliest aviation accident in Spanish history.
- 03The impact occurred roughly 9 miles west of Ibiza Airport.
- 04Most passengers were Valencia residents returning to Ibiza for work after the Christmas and New Year holidays.
- 05The aircraft struck the mountain with landing gear and flaps still retracted.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Sterile Cockpit Rule Precursor
The accident highlighted the extreme danger of non-pertinent conversation during critical phases of flight, contributing to the eventual industry-wide adoption of sterile cockpit procedures.