Madrid – Málaga – New York

On September 13, 1982 at 12:00 PM, Madrid – Málaga – New York experienced a crash involving Douglas DC-10, operated by Spantax, with the event recorded near Málaga Andalusia.

The flight was categorized as charter/taxi (non scheduled revenue flight) and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

394 people were known to be on board, 50 fatalities were recorded, 344 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 12.7%.

Crew on board: 13, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 381, passenger fatalities: 47, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. Takeoff acceleration was normal, failure was not detected on engines, systems or structures. The crew registered a strong vibration at or close to V1. The captain felt how this vibration was highly increased as he began rotation, consequently rejecting the takeoff at a speed between VR and V2. Physical evidence shows how detachment of the tread of a tire of the nose gear, retreated, began before the aircraft had reached V1. The reject of takeoff began where there were another 1,295 meters (4,250 feet) of runway left. The aircraft crossed the runway end at a speed slightly over 110 knots, colliding with an ILS concrete building, breaking the metal fencing of the airport, crossing a highway, causing damage to three vehicles on the same, colliding then with farming construction. Engine number three detached after impact with the ILS building. Approximately three quarters of the right wing as well as the right horizontal stabilizer were detached as a result of the impact with the afore mentioned farming construction. The fuselage also ran over the construction with which the right wing collided. The aircraft stopped 450 meters (1,475 feet) away from the end of runway 14, and approximately 40 meters (130 feet) off to the left from the centerline. Neither the passenger department nor the cockpit showed damage that could impede survival when the aircraft stopped. Fuel was spilled off the right wing, from the time it collided with the farming construction, and the fire began in the rear of the fuselage. The fire destroyed the aircraft completely. There were 381 passengers and 13 crew members on board. 333 passengers and 10 crew survived, and as a result of the fire subsequent to the impact, 47 passengers and three assistant crew members died.

Aircraft reference details include registration EC-DEG, MSN 46962, year of manufacture 1977.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 36.7140°, -4.4250°.