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The investigation of the Tenerife airport disaster didn't need to run past 3 pages (thelemmy.club)
submitted 1 month ago by Grumpus_Maximus to c/historymemes@piefed.social
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[-] ephrin@sh.itjust.works 21 points 1 month ago

Maybe this?

After the KLM plane had started its takeoff roll, the tower instructed the Pan Am crew to "report the runway clear." The Pan Am crew replied, "OK, will report when we're clear." Upon hearing this, the KLM flight engineer expressed his concern about the Pan Am not being clear of the runway by asking the pilots in his own cockpit, saying "Is he not clear, that Pan American?" Veldhuyzen van Zanten emphatically replied, "Oh, yes", and continued with the takeoff.[25]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenerife_airport_disaster?wprov=sfti1#Communication_misunderstandings

[-] sj_zero@lotide.fbxl.net 13 points 1 month ago

That story is a reminder to us all that even people who are highly competent make mistakes.

This guy was literally the posterboy of the airline, tons of experience, trained others, horrible outcome due to a massive collapse in judgement regardless.

[-] acockworkorange@mander.xyz 4 points 1 month ago

"Wilco" would have prevented it. What a world.

this post was submitted on 12 Jun 2026
54 points (98.2% liked)

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