Increasingly ambiguous radio instructions
The radio communications then become quite confusing.
17 :02 :18 (Mecanician) – Third he said?
17 :02 :19 (Captain) – Three?
17 :02 :21 (Tenerife control tower) – -ird one to your left.
17 :02 :22 (Captain) – I think he said first.
17 :02 :26 (First officer) – I'll ask him again.
17 :02 :32 (First officer) – Left turn.
17 :02 :33 (Captain) – I don't think they have take-off minimums anywhere right now.
17 :02 :39 (Captain) – What really happened over there today?
17 :02 :41 (PanAm employee) – They put a bomb (in) the terminal, Sir, right where the check-in counters are.
17 :02 :46 (Captain) – Well we asked them if we could hold and -uh- I guess you got the word, we landed here.
The controller was then heard talking to the KLM jumbo crew.
17 :02 :50 (Tenerife control tower to KLM 747) – KLM four eight zero five how many taxiway -ah- did you pass?
17 :02 :55 (KLM 4805) – I think we just passed charlie four (fourth one) now.
17 :02 :59 (Tenerife control tower) – O.K. ... at the end of the runway make one eighty and report -ah- ready -ah- for ATC clearance.
Both aircraft were still backtracking along the runway, but the PanAm 747 was lost in the fog, making it very difficult to spot the exit taxiways. The control tower had already confirmed that the aircraft must exit the runway into the third taxiway.
17 :03 :48 (Tenerife control tower) – ...er seven one three six report leaving the runway.
17 :04 :59 (Tenerife control tower) – -m eight seven zero five and clipper one seven ... three six, for your information, the centre line lighting is out of service.
The PanAm 747 passes the third taxiway
This created yet another difficulty. The crew of the PanAm 747 had also just passed the third taxiway without seeing it. They had seen the first taxiway and missed the second, and were now passing the third, thinking it was the second. They were now heading for the fourth taxiway.
Meanwhile, the Dutch 747 had finished backtracking along the runway and was now making a U-turn. The fog dissipated slightly, and visibility increased to 700 meters. The KLM captain was determined not to miss this opportunity.
17 :05 :45 (First officer to the control tower) – Uh, the KLM ... four eight zero five is now ready for take-off ... uh and we're waiting for our ATC clearance.
17 :05 :53 (Tenerife control tower) – KLM eight seven zero five uh you are cleared to the Papa Beacon climb to and maintain flight level nine zero right turn after take-off proceed with heading zero four zero until intercepting the three two five radial from Las Palmas VOR.
17 :06 :09 (KLM first officer) – Ah roger, sir, we're cleared to the Papa Beacon flight level nine zero, right turn out zero four zero until intercepting the three two five and we're now (at take-off ??).
The KLM 747 begins its take-off roll
The 747 had obtained clearance, but was not yet allowed to take off. However, its captain, in a hurry, began advancing the throttle, having forgotten that another aircraft was still taxiing down the runway. The stressful situation was probably a major factor.
17 :06 :13 (Captain) : We gaan. (We're going)
17 :06 :19 (Tenerife control tower) : OK
At the same time, the PanAm first officer was transmitting:
17 :06 :19 (PanAm first officer) : No .. eh...
The controller suddenly had doubts. He reminded the KLM captain that he had not been cleared for take-off.
17 :06 :20 (Tenerife control tower) : Stand by for take-off, I will call you.
17 :06 :20 (PanAm first officer) : And we're still taxiing down the runway, the clipper one seven three six.
The radio transmissions overlap
The last two messages were transmitted simultaneously and were therefore heard as a long, four-second high-pitched sound. The KLM 747 continued to accelerate. Some 1,500 meters ahead, the PanAm 747 was still taxiing down the runway.
17 :06 :25 (Tenerife control tower to the PanAm 747) - Roger alpha one seven three six report when runway clear
17 :06 :29 (PanAm first officer) - OK, we'll report when we're clear
17 :06 :30 (Tenerife control tower) - Thank you
The KLM captain did not react. He may have misunderstood the exchange and thought that the PanAm 747 had just cleared the runway.
17 :06 :32 (KLM first officer) – Is hij er niet af dan? {Is he not clear then?}
17 :06 :34 (KLM captain) – Wat zeg je? {What do you say?}
17 :06 :35 (KLM first officer) – EstIs hij er niet af, die Pan American? {Is he not clear that Pan American?}
17 :06 :36 (Angry KLM captain) – Jawel. {Oh yes. - Emphatic}
Meanwhile, the PanAm jumbo jet reached the fourth taxiway. Suddenly, the PanAm captain spotted the landing lights of the KLM Boeing approximately 700 meters away in the fog.
17 :06 :41 (PanAm captain) – (screaming) He’s coming… look… this son of b**** is coming
17 :06 :41 (PanAm first officer) - (screaming)