Terrorism, bad weather, negligence, passenger delay.. everything odd was against that day

I will never get on a plane if I see the smithsonian crew get on board

And this is why all ATC and pilots now are trained to never use the word “takeoff” on the radio, unless it’s the phrase “clear for takeoff”. Now if they want to say “after takeoff” like the ATC did in this case, they must say “after departure” so the pilots wont misunderstand it as “clear for takeoff”

The way that ATC guy twirls his pencil is exhilarating.

I remember this episode, I think nobody survived on the KLM airliner. The pilot of the KLM plane was actually a famous pilot for his small country. He was very irritated for how long he was waiting. I think the Pan Am’s majority of passengers survived as only the top of their aircraft was torn off. If you’re watching this before flying for some god awful reason, don’t be afraid. You’ll be okay.

Can you imagine being a passenger on the Pan Am plane and seeing another plane speeding towards you? To know you're about to die and not being able to do anything about it is so tragic and heartbreaking. So much loss of life in an instant.. I wouldn't be surprised if that airport is haunted.

My kindergarten teacher was actually on the Pan Am and was one of those killed in it. Still remember after all these years.

The KLM is impatience the tower said “STAND BY” but they takeoff anyway.

At least the camera crew survived

Remember that crash as if it were yesterday, My brother met one of the few survivors (PanAm flight attendant). I actually visited Tenerife and saw the site of the crash (older airport).

How to survive every disaster: Be the camera crew

This was the world’s most avoidable air collision

The KLM pilot was a famous pilot in his country and he had a reputation to up-hold. KLM had a policy in place where they had a time limit for pilot to get to each destination. This caused the KLM pilot to be impatient. Like a famous pilot cannot be late to his destination otherwise it would look very bad for him. This policy has be removed by KLM and I think all other airline company has removed it too after this incident.

A note of trivia about this crash: the Pan Am 747 was the very first 747 to go into service in 1969.

Fun Fact: This particular Pan Am 747 not only flew the inaugural commercial flight of its kind, but it was also the first 747 delivered to an airline and also the first to be hijacked.

first officer's acting was so natural.

It’s ironic how the deadliest crash happened or started on the ground rather than in the air

RIP Robert Bragg 1938-2017

"That idiot's comin'!" Heh, that's not what he *really* said...

The pilot, the co-pilot and the flight engineer were among the 61 people of the Pan-Am plane that survived the disaster. No doubt the events of that day haunted them for the rest of their lives. The impatience of Veldhuyzen van Zanten, the heavy fog and the communication errors from ATC all culminated into the worst aviation disaster ever.

Everyone on the KLM flight died and there were 61 survivors from the Pan Am flight. The KLM captain thought he had clearance to take off which he thought was issued earlier when it really wasn't. There was also radio interference and the crew along with the ATC used improper phrasing like "We're taking off" and "okay."

Ayyyyy, where is the very contextually inappropriate happy music?

every video on this channel in a summary: tells us all about the scenario...crashes into flames, video ends.

Impatience should never be something you bring with you while flying a plane, concentrate on what matters. You live.

The longer version of this story contains a subplot about three friends returning from vacation on the KLM flight. One of the friends decided to get off that KLM flight as they found a quicker home off that island. She was the only person on that flight list that survived.

The worst aviation disaster in history all because of a... miscommunication.

I love how the airplane's nose lifted up without any movement of elevator at 2:46

This was so very heartbreaking. May they Forever Rest In Peace

Dude! Finish the story! Don't leave us hanging!

i remember that accident....i was in the airport in my own plane anf many hours later when i was have to take off the runway were closed and y wach the fire and the bodies.....a day to remember....rest in peace all

Bro, I just love the way your videos are short and illustrative. Thanks for uploading. Keep up the great work.

I was a Freshman in High School when this took place...I remember talking about it in Current Events/Basic Journalism class back then...

The KLLM pilot was in a hurry. It cost him and 582 other people their lives.

R.I.P Robert L. Bragg September 14 1937 - February 9 2017

The KLM plane would’ve cleared them if it hadn’t taken on an extra 55 tons of fuel before they taxied

"And then I said a very quick prayer" Please let this be a normal field trip

Interesting fact: One of the original passengers from KLM 4805 (Robina van Lanschot) got off the plane in Tenerife after it was originally diverted and never re-boarded. That ended up saving her life as no one on board KLM 4806 survived.

to this day every accident board outside of the one from KLM lays MOST of the blame for this accident on the KLM pilot.

583 Dead, all KLM passengers and crew died, 61 (incl Flight Crew) survivors, all on Pan Am, deadliest Aviation disaster in history. Investigation concluded that KLM pilot misinterpreting ATC clearance for TO clearance was at fault for the crash.

45 years later, it's still the deadliest aviation disaster in history.

0:10 that guy spins the pencil the way a kid would

KLM's policy caused this. the KLM captain wouldn't have been in a rush without it

I remember this vividly, I was stationed at Ft. Chaffed Arkansas in the summer of 77. It was all over the News.

Thx for making the video 3 days before my b-day

2:57 terrifying

Worst of the 20th & hope it holds that way thru the 21st

The go to animation for this disaster. Absolutely outstanding.

2:26 the moment when he sounded like heavy from TF2

Klm has Definitely learned their lessons,they have not haven’t had a crash since.

The investigation concluded that the fundamental cause of the accident was that captain Veldhuyzen van Zanten (KLM) attempted to take off without clearance. The investigators suggested the reason for this was a desire to leave as soon as possible in order to comply with KLM's duty-time regulations and before the weather deteriorated further. Other major factors contributing to the accident were: + The sudden fog greatly limited visibility. The control tower and the crews of both planes were unable to see one another. + Interference from simultaneous radio transmissions, with the result that it was difficult to hear the message. The following factors were considered contributing but not critical: +Use of ambiguous non-standard phrases by the KLM co-pilot ("We're at take off") and the Tenerife control tower ("OK"). +The Pan Am aircraft had not left the runway at the third intersection. +The airport was forced to accommodate a great number of large aircraft due to rerouting from the terrorist incident that had happened at Gran Canaria International Airport, resulting in disruption of the normal use of taxiways.

What makes this accident more terrifying that like the infamous Concorde accident 23 years later, the planes especially KLM were at the Mark V point. In other words they were at the speed required for take off & that couldn't be aborted.

"Okay. standby for take-off, I will call you." Directly due to a heterodyne all the KLM captain heard was the word, "okay".

I heard this story as a fun fact. About 7-9 months before this moment, there was a US Government meeting discussing the installation of the latest nuclear reactors that was the be used when fully built. The main presenter insisted that these new nuclear reactors were so safe, that the odds of one melting down was the same as if 2 fully loaded 747s ran into each other headlong at full speed in the Canary Islands. "While on the ground!" He decided to add to prove his point just how safe these new reactors were going to be.

I didn't know videos could be transferred from one channel to another.

I clearly remember thentime that i was so obsessed on aeroplane crash vids especially this vid

Koba was the time to get back with you guys again thank you 😊

2:46 Tailstrike

That was just crazy! Searching for the full episode ASAP

What a terrible tragedy. RIP to all of them

My grandfather saw the crash from the terminal in the airports, and after his flight home, he was to traumatized to fly on a plane ever again

The fact I learned this from TikTok and not school is sad

I remember reading about this in readers digest (Tragedy at Tenerife) about a month after it happened. Scared the wits out of me. But a very well written article. Sad that it had to be written at all.

This was playing on a TV at the boarding gate of a flight departing from Soekarno-Hatta

The tower controller didn’t hear what the Pan Am crew said: “And we’re still taxing down the runway, Clipper 1376”. That’s because the tower controller and the pan am crew talked at the same time, that caused an “KGGGRT” for the KLM Crew and the only word the KLM Crew bearded at that time was: “Ok” instant of “Ok, stand by for takeoff clearance I will call you”.

You guys are lucky to have survive...

Boy, that first officer must have some horrible nightmares....

Excellent animation at the end illustrating the crash. There is another, very similar one (the Mayday series IIRC) but I think this one might just be the best.

As a Dutch Girl, I was very sad to see this and this happened on my Fathers 8th Birthday. R.I.P my dearest Dutchies/Othercountry citizens

“God I hope he misses us.” Cuts to the planes colliding in flames

2:32 look at grubbs' face

May all the people affected R.I.P🙏 My thoughts to everyone affected🙏

I just saw this on the flight channel or something, but he did like half an hour long version in xplane, nice vid

I watched this video after going on holiday to Tenerife , really nice place though , nice waterparl

Seeing the KLM coming out of the distance and the tense music playing, it’s creepy as he says “I saw KLM too” It is mad and I was like shaking lol

This PanAm pilot was lucky to live.

I investigated a lot of crashes like this. Instead of putting on the brakes and stopping, they speed up to try to miss them while the other ship speeds up to miss them too, actually steering in the collision course. If you can't back up, don't try to make it across.

I love how it refers to the worst disaster in aviation history as "This plane crash" 😭😭😂

The pilots are brave for reenacting the horrific things that happened to them that day.

When i saw the crew being interviewed i was like Phew it cant be that bad right 😅 2 mins later i found i was very very wrong...

Thanks for sharing👍

Exactly 4 years ago today Robert Bragg grew his wings, fly high Robert Bragg

I can't imagine what would've happened if the 2001 Japan Airlines mid-air incident turned into a mid-air collision...those poor souls of 677 people, with all of them dead, making it the world's new deadliest aviation accident.

I love these cliff hanger plane crash things

Thank goodness the Camera Crew and passengers survived the crash thank god

OMG!! THE MOST UNBELIEVABLE ACCIDENT!!

If you see a Smithsonian cameraman on your flight, just know things aren't okay.

so sad'n deeply touching with welming sence of anger for one to comment down. I'M feelingly crushed and torn. By the way I've watched it several times, only today i could write something

Wow, those rebels really hit a home run, in terms of raising their profile

The whole story is not here but this whole thing was so sad. It made me very angry at the KLM captain. He was in a hurry because he was nearing his flight limits and wanted to make it home before his time ran out. Well, he didn't make it home.

It's one of those "If I am going to die I am taking the other plane (bastards) with me" just another day on runway.

respect for the camera man who survived all these crashes

Gee what a terrifying situation

I miss you Pan Am. I tried flying after Pan Am's demise. It is not the same. I quit flying in 2001. It is a hateful, cramped, unsanitary, hassle now. Now I take a bus, a train, or drive my trusty automobile. I hate flying today. It is disgusting and costs twice as much as it used to.

The ATC frickin' told the KLM to stanby!

A follow up with info of what occurred afterward would be nice, obviously the narrating Captain survived, but the rest of the story would make these more complete

March 27, 1977, KLM 4805 and Pan Am 1736 had to divert to Los Rodeos Airport. Because a bomb exploded in Gran Canaria’s terminal. Los Rodeos is a very small airport operating only a few flights a day. In total 10 flights were diverted to Los Rodeos. The two Boeing 747s landed at Los Rodeos airport. A few hours later Gran Canaria informs Los Rodeos that they have reopened. Right after Pan Am requests to taxi to the runway, but it can’t. KLM 4805 is being fully refueled, which takes 35 minutes. After being fully refueled the KLM starts backtracking. Backtracking is when the plane uses the runway as a taxiway and, at the end of the runway to turn 180 Degrees to get into position. The Pan Am is supposed to turn at the third exit. Then the visibility soon decreased to 300 meters. Soon later the Pan Am starts taxiing on the runway too. Due to the 300 meter visibility, the Pan Am did not see the 3rd exit and went past it. Meanwhile, KLM 4805 has finished backtracking. The KLM requests permission for takeoff. The ATC replies “ KLM 4805 standby for takeoff.” The “standby for” was unheard by KLM 4805 then only hearing, “ KLM 4805, takeoff.” Then the KLM starts to takeoff, Right after the flight engineer of KLM 4805 started to get concerned. “Is he not cleared then? The Pan Am?” KLM 4805’s Captain responded “Oh Yes” (empathically) When the captain called V1 ( which means if there is an engine failure you can no longer abort the takeoff.) He saw Pan Am and tried to pull up but he was too slow. When Pan Am 1736 saw KLM 4805 he turned left with full thurst but it was too late. All in the KLM died and 61 survived in the Pan Am, 583 people died in total. The ATC only heard the explosion, they didn't see the planes. They both crashed at the Los Rodeos runway. Killing 583.

R.I.P. PAN AM AIRWAYS!✈✈✈

43 years ago today.... very sad

I cannot imagine that really happen in Tenerife, as Pan Am Flight 1736 and KLM 4805 were on a bad collision in the runway. The worst part is there was thick fog that time.

his eye twitch when speaking, i think that fear stay cling to him after so many years passed