TERROR in the Clouds! The Chilling Fate of Dan Air Flight 1008

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On April 25, 1980, Dan Air flight 1008 made its way along the well travelled flight path between Manchester and Tenerife. But what happened next on board this Boeing 727 was FAR from routine!

Was it a simple navigation error? Or were there deeper issues lurking in the background? Join us as we explore the gripping story of Dan-Air Flight 1008, the decisions made in the cockpit, and the hidden risks of flying over dangerous terrain!

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Below you will find the links to videos and sources used in this episode.

SOURCES
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Final Report:

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#Mentourpilot #pilot #aircraft

[aimiliosvalvis]

I am watching this channel since 2019. I still cant believe the transformation from Petter making selfie videos from a bench in a park to full quality documentaries better than any other tv productions. Petter thanks for this content from a 30 year old avation enthusiast since a kid...

[SteveBakerIsHere]

My father was a senior radio/radar engineer working for Dan Air at the time of the accident - and he had been working on that aircraft in the previous night. So after the disaster - he was interviewed very closely to be sure that the radio nav aids and GPWS that were his responsibility were in good shape. They eventually found (as you correctly suggested) - that the plane was working perfectly - and he was definietly not at fault. But that was only accepted after weeks when my father thought for sure that he'd maybe screwed up and the deaths of all of those people were on his hands. Result was that he had PTSD-like symptoms for years after. The consequential problems for people associated with fatal crashes are typically overlooked - but even after the Spanish and British reports were published - my father couldn't shake his fear that he'd screwed up somewhere. My father was often critical about Dan Air's safety and habitually called the airline "Dan Dare" after a British comic book character of the time. It's good to hear the full story though - my dad wouldn't speak about it - so I never knew the full extent of the screwup.

So - thanks for this analysis - it means a lot to me. My father died 20 years ago - but he knew in the end that he'd done his job perfectly...which ought to have made a difference.

[waynemeredith]

In aircraft maintenance in the Air Force I learned it was better to ask a stupid question than to have to answer for a stupid mistake.

[jeffdutton]

I worked in a power plant for 42 years. While mistakes in our work environment would be unlikely to result in fatalities, we still had a mantra for pre-job briefings, "It's easier to ask questions now, than to give answers later." So much grief can be avoided by aggressively clearing up the things that don't make sense at the beginning of the task.

[SquirrelRIP]

This terrible accident hits close to home. I was only 9 years old at the time, but I remember clearly my mum telling me that our neighbour’s, a young couple with their new born would not be coming home. RIP.

[LouisedePaep]

The parents of a dear friend of mine were on this flight. Heartbreaking and I remember it like it was yesterday. I was an overseas rep for a tour operator, I had worked in Tangiers, Ibiza and then Malaga. Another dear friend was the Station Manager in Malaga for Dan Air and he was sent to Tenerife to assist with the search and recovery process. He said it was the worst experience of his life saying “there are something’s you just can’t unsee”. Thankfully I never had to experience a missing or downed flight in the 10yrs I worked in tourism. However, I did witness the Spantax flight that crashed in Malaga in September 1982. I was on my way driving from Torremolinos - Malaga when I saw the disastrous aborted takeoff. I was almost in its flight/crash path. Scariest sight I’ve ever seen. Thank you so much for your concise reporting of these incidents.

[neko]

I'm doing a YouTube detox, but this is the one channel I refuse to give up. I love listening to your videos while doing things around the house or commuting.

[adamhegedus]

Not installing radars, not even 3 years after having the worst crash in aviation history due to foggy weather (it happened on the ground though) is mindblowing. I love the Mediterranean culture, but maybe the "We will do it tomorrow" mentality was also part of this avoidable disaster :(

Great video as always, thank you

[JamesStreet-tpvb]

"When you get the feeling that something isn't right, always speak up and ask." That's the best advice ever given.

[sherazzzhere]

Incredible how a single missed letter could trigger such a chain of events. This perfectly highlights the razor-thin margins in aviation safety and the critical role of precise communication. Truly a case study in the importance of attention to detail.

[Kevin_]

In the mid '80's I flew 727's into Tenerife on a contract. It was normal to have airplanes stacked in holding patterns waiting out the wx or waiting for an approach clearance. Most of the holds were not published holds. In 1985 the Dan Air accident was still at the front of my mind and I would give thorough briefings while enroute. If I had an F/O or F/E that was new to Tenerife I would tell them expect some kind of surprise and that usually happened. It was always a challenge to guess your sequence when half the traffic was using Spanish with the controllers. Back then most 727's and similar types had two ADF receivers and two VOR heads. As Mentour Pilot says, always get a clarification. The question you don't ask could be fatal.

[biggiouschinnus]

The CVR from this flight is bone-chilling. The flight engineer knew something was wrong, but there was no sense of urgency from the captain and first officer whatsoever, even with the GPWS droning "pull up" in the background over and over again. It's honestly mystifying.

Edit: Please note I am not absolving the Spanish authorities of blame either. Not installing radar at Tenerife after the disaster of 1977 was completely inexcusable, as was the poor training given to ATCs and inadequate staffing. Combined with the poor weather, this was an accident waiting to happen.

[philipjamesparsons]

My Dad was a plumber and was doing work at the home of one of the flight crew (I'm not saying which) when the accident happened. Dad still talks today about needing to complete the work with a drama and tragedy unfolding around him. Relatives of mine, living in Tenerife set up a memorial garden to remember the accident. So, this is the best explanation of the accident I have seen.

[taku]

regarding the single missed letter thing... I feel like the incident where pilots flew west into the amazon rainforest instead of north because of the lack of a decimal point would claim that ..

[samanthajanesmith]

This brought back nightmares of flying Dan Air on a Comet... broken seatbelts, strong smell of aviation fuel, emergency landing at Rimini and ending up with the plane stuck on the threshold with the front wheel stuck.

[dannydaw]

Nice graphics that explain things. I'm not a pilot, but have always been interested in what it takes to fly a plane. I prefer to donate this way rather than Patreon.

[thoughtful_criticiser]

Dan Air and the 727 has a very special place in my heart, my first ever flight was with them in a 727. It changed my life, upon returning home I began flying lessons. A few years later I flew on that same 727 with them, I visited the flight deck and spent the rest of the flight (from the Mediterranean to Gatwick) in the jump seat. It was a brilliant end to a great holiday. Yesterday, I was officially informed that my medical has been pulled. Unless I get a kidney transplant and a year of stability my pilot days are over, in real life, I am flying the 737-800 having been trained by Petter and Ben on their wonderful course.

[paulmarkman]

What a coincidence Petter! I was only this week looking at a memorial in our local cemetery here in Manchester to those who died in this tragic accident. Superb presentation, as ever. All the best - Paul

[spacehabitats]

As an emergency room physician, I am always amazed at how many similarities there are between good CRM and effective teamwork by doctors, nurses, paramedics, etc. in the ER.

In fact, in our ER, we begin each shift by designating each person's role during a code ahead of time.

During a code, or at any other time, if an individual does not understand an order or feels it is a mistake, they are encouraged to immediately and respectfully ask for clarification.

I can't help but believe that much of this common practice was "stolen" from the airliner industry.

We owe you much, thank you!

[HexagonalMan]

There's an old training video of Captain Warren Vanderburgh and American Airlines giving a training seminar on situational awareness, and this video reminded me of it for obvious reasons.

The thing that it reminded me of most was "if you are below the level of the surrounding terrain and you can't see out the cockpit window, and that 'where are we, what's our clearance' conversation starts up, you should be getting into the vertical and getting out of there *right now*. You don't have to wait for the GPWS to go off."