What happened
During a departure from Tenerife-Norte-Los Rodeos Airport, an aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent while climbing through approximately 100 meters. The plane struck the ground roughly 325 meters beyond the runway threshold, triggering a massive explosion. The impact and subsequent intense fire resulted in the total destruction of the airframe.
There were 155 fatalities recorded during the accident, representing the entire population on board. The passengers included 148 tourists from West Germany, while the flight crew consisted of 7 Spanish members. At the time of the crash, environmental conditions were characterized by heavy fog and a very low cloud ceiling, which reduced visibility to near-zero levels.
Findings
Investigations into the accident suggest that the pilot-in-command performed improper maneuvers and reactions during the initial climb. It is believed that the crew experienced spatial disorientation while operating in the extremely low-visibility conditions immediately following takeoff.