Incident Overview
On December 7, 1983, at approximately 09:39:29 local time, a runway collision occurred at Madrid-Barajas Airport. The accident involved a Boeing 727-256 (registration EC-CFJ) operated by Iberia as scheduled flight IB350 to Rome, and a DC-9-32 (registration EC-CGS) operated by Aviaco as scheduled flight AO134 to Santander. The collision took place on runway 01/19.
Sequence of Events
The Iberia Boeing 727 had been cleared for takeoff on runway 01 and was at V1 speed. The Aviaco DC-9 had been cleared to proceed to the holding point at runway 01 through the outer taxiway. The DC-9 entered the active runway while the Boeing was on its takeoff roll. The conditions of visibility at the airport were daylight with intense fog.
Damage and Casualties
As a result of the impact and subsequent fire, the DC-9 was totally destroyed, and all of its occupants—5 crew members and 37 passengers—died. The Boeing 727 lost almost all of its left wing and the main landing gear on the same side. It slid approximately 460 meters along the runway before coming to a stop, facing opposite the direction of takeoff, on the left edge of runway 01. Fuel spillage from the left wing led to an almost instant fire that subsequently destroyed the aircraft. Of the 84 passengers and 9 crew members aboard the Boeing, 34 passengers and 8 crew members survived. A total of 50 passengers and one assistance crew member died as a result of the impact and fire.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the cause of the accident was the unknown incursion of the DC-9 onto runway 01/19 while the Boeing 727 was on takeoff roll. The DC-9 was on the active runway because visibility conditions due to fog in the area where the aircraft was taxiing prevented the crew from obtaining sufficient visual references to determine that they were not on the correct route to reach the threshold of runway 01.