http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGIXMORP64C.html

Two aircraft collide on ground: Never hear of many of these types of accidents.

-- Notforlong (Fsur@aol.com), February 02, 2000

Answers

The biggest aircraft disaster in history involved a collision on the ground with loss of life at around 500 people or more involving 2 747's in the late 70's or early 80's on a island vacation location off the west coast of Africa. Believe it was called Tenerife. Doesn't happen often but when it does it seems to always involve one taxing with the other taking off or landing with low visibility involved.

-- John Thomas (cjseed@webtv.net), February 02, 2000.

Tenerife in the Canary Islands, death toll was 576 as I recall. One plane taking off and another crossed the runway in front of it. One of the 747s was KLM, I think but can't be sure that the other was a U.S. carrier. Nasty. Blamed on miscommunication with ground ATC. This is just off the top of my head, anyone else remember differently?

--Andre in southcentral PA

-- Andre Weltman (72320.1066@compuserve.com), February 02, 2000.

Link to above story:

Planes collide

-- Duke1983 (Duke1983@aol.com), February 02, 2000.

Andre,

At the time of the Tenerife disaster, my ex worked for KLM. I'm almost sure the other airline was PanAm.

Jimmy

-- Jimmy Splinters (inthe@dark.com), February 02, 2000.