Iberia Flight 602
1972 aviation accident in Spain
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Iberia Flight 602 was a domestic scheduled passenger flight operated by a Sud Aviation SE 210 Caravelle that took off from Valencia, Spain, bound for the Balearic island of Ibiza, which flew into the side of a mountain near Ibiza Airport. All 98 passengers and 6 crew died in the crash.
- Sierra de Atalayasa, Spain
- 38°54′13″N 1°15′04″E
EC-ATV, the aircraft involved in the accident, pictured in 1970. | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 7 January 1972 |
| Summary | Controlled flight into terrain |
| Site |
|
 | |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Sud Aviation SE 210 Caravelle |
| Aircraft name | Maestro Victoria |
| Operator | Iberia |
| Registration | EC-ATV |
| Flight origin | Valencia Airport |
| Destination | Ibiza Airport |
| Occupants | 104 |
| Passengers | 98 |
| Crew | 6 |
| Fatalities | 104 |
| Survivors | 0 |
Aircraft and crew
The aircraft was a Sud Aviation SE 210 Caravelle that first flew on 25 June 1963 and was powered by two Rolls-Royce Avon Mk.533R turbojet engines. Delivered to Iberia on 9 July, the aircraft was initially named Tomás Luis de Victoria after the Spanish Composer of the same name, though this was later shortened to Maestro Victoria.[1][2]
Flight 602 was under the command of 37-year-old captain José Luis Ballester Sepúlveda, with 7,000 flying hours' experience, first officer Jesús Montesinos Sánchez, and flight engineer Vicente Rodríguez Mesa.[3][4]
The crash
Flight 602 was a domestic service flight that took off from Valencia Airport bound for Ibiza. On board were 6 crew and 98 passengers, most of whom were Valencia natives returning to Ibiza for work after the holidays.[5]
At approximately 12:15 pm, the aircraft's captain radioed Ibiza Airport, requesting permission to descend to 5,500 feet (1,700 m). Ibiza Airport sources reported that he also said, "Get me a beer ready, we are here."[5]
The aircraft was approaching Runway 07 when it descended below 2,000 feet (610 m).[2] Reportedly, neither the captain nor the co-pilot noticed the dangerous descent, as they were discussing a football match with the airport tower controller.[2] Flight 602 struck Mount Atalayasa approximately 90 feet (27 m) below its 1,515-foot (462 m) summit.[5][6] The aircraft exploded on impact. All 98 passengers and 6 crew on board were killed.[3]
Cause
It was ruled that the pilot had failed to maintain the minimum flight altitude for a visual approach to Runway 07.[7]