Summary Runway incursion Type Boeing 727-256 Adv. Registration EC-CFJ Total fatalities 93 Operators Iberia, Aviaco | Site Madrid–Barajas Airport Name Jumila Date 7 December 1983 Total survivors 42 | |
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Flight origin Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD/LEMD) Location Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport Destinations Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport (FCO/LIRF), Santander Airport (SDR/LEXJ) Similar Iberia Airlines Flight 610, Iberia Airlines Flight 401, 1973 Nantes mid‑air co, Iberia Airlines Flight 062, Iberia Airlines Flight 602 | ||
The Madrid runway disaster was the collision on 7 December 1983 of two aircraft on the ground at Madrid–Barajas Airport. A departing Iberia Boeing 727 struck an Aviaco McDonnell Douglas DC-9, causing the deaths of 93 passengers and crew.
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The accident
On 7 December 1983, a Boeing 727 of Iberia (Spain's state airline) registered EC-CFJ, operating Iberia Flight 350, a scheduled flight to Rome's Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport, was cleared for take-off from Madrid-Barajas Airport's Runway 01 in conditions of thick fog. At the same time, a DC-9 of Aviaco registered EC-CGS, operating Aviaco Flight 134, was taxiing to the end of the same runway for take-off bound for Santander Airport. As the Boeing 727 rolled along the runway, the crew of the DC-9 accidentally made a wrong turn in the fog and taxied their aircraft onto the runway, into the path of the 727. The crew of the 727 saw the DC-9 and attempted to avoid the collision by rotating their aircraft for lift-off, however the 727 had not reached flying speed and its rear fuselage struck the DC-9. Both aircraft caught fire and were destroyed; all 42 persons on board the DC-9 were killed, while 51 (50 passengers, 1 crew member) of the 93 on board the Boeing 727 were killed. Among those killed in the DC-9 was Fanny Cano, a Mexican actress. Among those killed on the Boeing 727 was South African pianist Marc Raubenheimer.
Investigation
Investigators found that the Boeing 727 and DC-9 had collided due to the poor visibility at the airport, as well as inadequate signs and markings, which led to the DC-9 entering the runway without clearance as the Boeing 727 was taking off.