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Night Approach Incident at Mahón Airport (EC-BIQ)

Mahón, SpainLanding (descent or approach)

On February 17, 1990, a Douglas DC-9 (registration EC-BIQ) operated by Aviaco - Aviacion y Comercio was involved in an aviation accident near Mahón, Spain during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The copilot (pilot-in-command) did not understand the captain's instructions to initiate a go-around procedure due to non-standard phraseology used by the captain. Poor crew coordination and lack of visibility were considered as contributing factors. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Source recordUpdated 2026-09-03Data APIEditorial standards
Aircraft registered EC-BIQ
Aircraft registered EC-BIQ. Photo: Eduard Marmet / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

During a night approach to Mahón Airport in poor weather, an aircraft struck the runway after a go-around instruction was misunderstood. The captain took control, and the aircraft returned to Palma de Mallorca for a safe landing. All 89 occupants evacuated safely.

Incident Overview and Immediate Response The approach to Mahón Airport was conducted at night under poor weather conditions. While on final approach, the crew lost visual contact with the runway. The captain instructed the pilot to initiate a go-around. However, due to confusion, the aircraft continued its approach and struck the runway surface with a positive acceleration of 3.56 G. The captain then took over control, initiated a go-around, and decided to return to Palma de Mallorca, where a safe landing was completed. ## Evacuation and Aircraft Condition All 89 occupants evacuated safely. The aircraft was considered damaged beyond repair due to severe structural damages. ## Official Findings The official investigation determined that the copilot, who was the pilot-in-command, did not understand the captain's instructions to initiate a go-around procedure due to non-standard phraseology used by the captain. Poor crew coordination and lack of visibility were considered as contributing factors.

Probable cause

The copilot (pilot-in-command) did not understand the captain's instructions to initiate a go-around procedure due to non-standard phraseology used by the captain. Poor crew coordination and lack of visibility were considered as contributing factors.

Related events

Same operator

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 17 Feb 1990 Douglas DC-9 accident near Mahón, Spain?

During a night approach to Mahón Airport in poor weather, an aircraft struck the runway after a go-around instruction was misunderstood. The captain took control, and the aircraft returned to Palma de Mallorca for a safe landing. All 89 occupants evacuated safely.

Were there any fatalities in the 17 Feb 1990 Douglas DC-9 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 17 Feb 1990 involved a Douglas DC-9, registration EC-BIQ, operated by Aviaco - Aviacion y Comercio, at Mahón, Spain.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The copilot (pilot-in-command) did not understand the captain's instructions to initiate a go-around procedure due to non-standard phraseology used by the captain. Poor crew coordination and lack of visibility were considered as contributing factors.

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