Bilbao-Sondica

The twin engine airplane departed Madrid-Barajas at 0635LT on a cargo service (flight IBT1278) to Bilbao, carrying one company mechanic, two pilots and a load of cargo consisting of 2,873 kilos of various goods. Following an uneventful flight, the crew was cleared to start the descent to Bilbao-Sondica Airport for an ILS approach to runway 30. During the descent, the crew encountered control problems which he attributed to an autopilot malfunction. While trying to identify the problem, the crew failed to realized that the rate of descent increased when the GPWS alarm sounded three times. Shortly later, while attempting to gain height, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Santa Marina Vieja located 33 km from Bilbao Airport. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all three occupants were killed. The wreckage was found near the village of Zaldíbar.

Iberia Flight 610 departed Madrid at 08:47 for a scheduled flight to Bilbao, where it was scheduled to land at 09:35. The Boeing 727, named "Alhambra de Granada", climbed to the cruising altitude of FL260. At 09:09 the crew were instructed to descend to FL100. Seven minutes later the copilot contacted Bilbao Tower. The controller then cleared the flight for an ILS approach: "Iberia 610, you can continue descent, for an ILS approach to Bilbao, runway 30, wind is 100 degrees 3 knots, QNH 1025 and transition level 70." This was confirmed by the crew. The controller subsequently offered them a direct clearance to the approach fix, which is located at 13 DME from the airport. The captain declined and decided to fly the standard approach procedure. At 09:22 flight 610 reported over the Bilbao VOR at 7000 feet, starting the standard approach procedure. The airplane further descended to 5000 feet, which it reached three minutes later. The crew switched the Altitude Alert System to 4300 ft (the minimum sector altitude is 4354 feet) and continued the descent. The altitude alert horn sounds 900 feet prior to reaching the preset altitude (approach mode) and 300 feet below that altitude (deviation mode). Since the flight had 700 feet to go, the horn would only sound at around 4000 feet. Since the crew descended below the minimum sector altitude, the altitude alert horn sounded at 4040 feet. The crew interpreted this being the approach mode alert, and continued their descent. Fifty-seven seconds after passing through the minimum sector altitude, the airplane struck the base of a structure of antennas located close to the top of Mount Oiz (3356 feet high). The left wing broke off and the remaining fuselage crashed onto the hillside, cutting a swath through the trees. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 148 occupants were killed.

On final approach, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed on the Getxo golf course located approximately six km short of runway 12 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were injured.

The taxi drills were actioned by the First Officer and the Flight Engineer during this time and "runway items" were completed after the Commander turned the aircraft through 180° close to the threshold of runway 28, aligned it on the runway centre line, and selected the wheel brakes to park. A power setting of 100 per cent thrust was made, all engine indications were checked as correct, and the engine relight switches were selected 'ON' before the wheel brakes were released and the takeoff run commenced at about 13:46 with the Commander piloting the aircraft. The aircraft accelerated normally ; the First Officer called out the indicated airspeeds at 80 knots and 100 knots and made a call of 'Wet V1' at 117 knots then removed his hand from the throttles. At the time or just after 'Wet V1' was called the Flight Engineer and the First Officer heard a noise which the latter crew member attributed to the aircraft's entry into standing water. According to the Flight Engineer the aircraft appeared to decelerate at the same time that he heard the noise. The Commander felt a marked deceleration consistent with a loss of engine power, whereupon he immediately closed the throttles, called "Abandon", deployed the airbrakes and lift dumpers and applied the wheel brakes fully. However according to the Flight Engineer all engine indications had been normal prior to the closing of the throttles. On seeing a hand close the throttles the First Officer selected emergency reverse thrust on the pod engines, checked the engine indications were correct and maintained the application of emergency reverse thrust until the aircraft eventually came to rest. The First Officer and the Commander checked the indicated pressures on the wheel brake gauges which showed the wheel brakes were fully applied. The initial deceleration felt satisfactory to the crew, then quickly deteriorated and the First Officer formed the impression that the aircraft was aquaplaning. The Flight Engineer then noticed that the aircraft had begun to drift gradually to the left of the runway centreline apparently as the result of a deliberate action by the Commander. Subsequently it became evident to the Commander that he could not bring the aircraft to a halt within the runway confines. Some 200 metres to 300 metres before the end of the runway he turned the aircraft to the left using nose-wheel steering and applied full left rudder. As the nose wheels ran off the runway onto the grass, the aircraft slewed to the left then skidded broadside to the right for a short distance before it came to an abrupt stop at the side of the runway in a right wing down attitude with the right wing tip close to the threshold lights of runway 10. Evacuation drills were initiated and the passengers left the aircraft in a reasonably orderly manner, the majority by slide from the main exit doors and foremost right overwing emergency exit. Catering equipment in the galleys came out of stowage during the accident obstructing access to the forward emergency exit door and preventing use of this exit and its slide during the evacuation. All 117 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

The crew was completing a local training flight at Bilbao-Sondica Airport. Following several touch and goes, the crew started a new approach when he was faced with a flaps asymmetry warning. The captain decided to continue the approach and to perform a flapless landing. In heavy rain falls and with a tailwind component, the airplane landed long on a wet runway. After touchdown, it was unable to stop within the remaining distance and overran. While contacting soft ground, the nose gear and the right main gear collapsed then the aircraft came to rest, broken in three. All four crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed.

After touchdown at Bilbao-Sondica Airport, the four engine airplane encountered difficulties. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, it overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest few dozen yards farther. There were no injuries among the occupants while the aircraft was written off.

The pilot, sole on board, was completing a flight from Madrid to Paris. While in cruising altitude, he encountered technical problems with an engine and requested the permission to divert to Bilbao-Sondica Airport. On final approach, following an uneventful descent, the airplane stalled and crashed 500 meters short of runway threshold. The aircraft, owned by S. Sehranger, was destroyed and the pilot was killed.