# Martinair Flight 495 > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Martinair_Flight_495 > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Martinair_Flight_495.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martinair_Flight_495 > Source revision: 1356188224 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 1992 aviation accident in Portugal This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Martinair Flight 495" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Martinair Flight 495 Wreckage of the aircraft at Faro Airport Accident Date 21 December 1992 (1992-12-21) Summary Crashed on hard landing due to windshear and foggy weather Site Faro Airport, Faro, Portugal 37°00′46″N 7°57′53″W / 37.01278°N 7.96472°W / 37.01278; -7.96472 Aircraft PH-MBN, the aircraft involved in the accident, seen in 1991 Aircraft type McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30CF Aircraft name Anthony Ruys Operator Martinair IATA flight No. MP495 ICAO flight No. MPH495 Call sign MARTINAIR 495 Registration PH-MBN Flight origin Amsterdam Schiphol Airport Destination Faro Airport Occupants 340 Passengers 327 Crew 13 Fatalities 56 Injuries 106 Survivors 284 **Martinair Flight 495** was a [McDonnell Douglas DC-10](/source/McDonnell_Douglas_DC-10) operated by Dutch airline [Martinair](/source/Martinair) that crash-landed in severe weather conditions at [Faro Airport](/source/Faro_Airport), [Portugal](/source/Portugal) on 21 December 1992. The aircraft carried 13 [crew members](/source/Crew_member) and 327 passengers, mainly holidaymakers from the [Netherlands](/source/Netherlands). The crash killed 54 passengers and 2 crew members;[1] 106 of the other occupants were badly injured. ## Background This section needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Martinair Flight 495" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (July 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) ### Aircraft The aircraft involved was a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30CF, [registered](/source/Aircraft_registration) as *PH-MBN*, which was built in 1975 carrying the [serial number](/source/Serial_number) 46924. It had logged 61,543 airframe hours in 14,615 takeoff and landing cycles. It was powered by three [General Electric CF6-50C](/source/General_Electric_CF6) engines.[1][2]: 32 The aircraft was named *Anthony Ruys* in honour of one of Martinair's former commissioners.[3] ### Crew The [captain](/source/Pilot_in_command) was 56-year-old H. Willem van Staveren, who had been with Martinair since January 1968. He was a DC-10 flight instructor with a total of 14,441 flight hours. He previously served in the [Royal Netherlands Navy](/source/Royal_Netherlands_Navy) from 1962 to 1966 and had worked for [Schreiner Airways](/source/Schreiner_Airways) from 1966 to 1968. The [first officer](/source/First_officer_(aviation)) was 31-year-old Ronald J. H. Clemenkowff. He had been with Martinair for three years with 2,288 flight hours, 1,787 of them on the DC-10. The [flight engineer](/source/Flight_engineer) was 29-year-old Gary W. Glans, who had been with Martinair for only eight months. He had worked for both [Canadian Airlines](/source/Canadian_Airlines) and [Swissair](/source/Swissair) from 1988 to 1992. Glans had a total of 7,540 flight hours, including 1,700 hours on the DC-10. All three pilots survived the crash. ## Accident ### Departure On the morning of the accident, the plane was delayed at [Amsterdam Airport Schiphol](/source/Amsterdam_Airport_Schiphol) due to a faulty thrust-reverser. This was not fixed. Nevertheless, the plane left for Faro at 04:52 UTC. According to Martinair, the faulty thrust-reverser was not a contributing factor in the accident. ### Crash The cockpit section of PH-MBN. A large [thunderstorm](/source/Thunderstorm) had developed near Faro airport, accompanied by heavy rain, [windshear](/source/Windshear) and [low cloud](/source/Low_cloud). The control tower informed the crew of the thunderstorm activity, in addition to stating that there was water on the runway. Following one unsuccessful landing attempt, the crew attempted a [VOR](/source/VHF_omnidirectional_range)/[DME](/source/Distance_measuring_equipment) procedure approach to runway 11 (later runway 10), during which the aircraft flew through at least two [microbursts](/source/Microburst). According to the Portuguese final accident report, firefighters saw an explosion coming from the aircraft 22 seconds before it crashed. The aircraft made a hard landing with a vertical speed exceeding the manufacturer's design limits. Following this, the [starboard](/source/Starboard) main gear collapsed, the starboard wing separated from the fuselage and the starboard fuel tank ruptured and the contents ignited. The DC-10 fuselage split in two, coming to rest with the front section lying on its side. ## Causes Opinions differ as to the cause(s) of this disaster. ### Official investigation by Portuguese aviation authorities According to the Portuguese aviation authority (DGAC), the cause(s) were likely to have been:[1] - high sink rate in the last phase of the landing approach; - hard landing on the right landing gear, exceeding its structural limitations; - transverse wind during the final approach and landing that exceeded the design limits of the landing gear, given the flooded condition of the runway; The DGAC describes the following additional factors: - instability of the landing approach; - pilots' reducing throttle too early and allowing the aircraft to lose altitude in an unsafe manner; - airport providing incorrect wind information for the approach; - absence of an [approach lighting system](/source/Approach_lighting_system); - incorrect assessment of the condition of the runway by the crew; - overriding of the autopilot just before the landing, whereby the aircraft was flown manually in a critical phase of the landing; - delay by the crew to increase altitude; - decrease of the aircraft's lift coefficient due to heavy rainfall. ### Dutch aviation authorities The Dutch Office for the Investigation of Accidents and Incidents of the National Aviation Authority (RLD) indicated that the probable cause(s) could be as follows:[1] - a sudden and unexpected variation in wind direction and speed ([windshear](/source/Windshear)) in the last phase of the approach; - a high descent speed and extreme lateral displacement that caused an excessive loading of the right landing gear that, in combination with a considerable angular displacement, exceeded the structural limitations of the aircraft. According to the RLD, additional factors were: - that the crew of flight MP495 did not expect the occurrence of windshear on the basis of the weather forecast and weather conditions; - the premature reduction of engine power, most likely due to the action of the crew; - the disabling of the autopilot just before landing, whereby the aircraft was manually flown in a critical phase of the landing. ### 2011 research and lawsuits On 14 February 2011, the *[Algemeen Dagblad](/source/Algemeen_Dagblad)* reported, among other things, a new investigation that was carried out at the request of relatives by researcher Harry Horlings.[4] According to Horlings, there was no wind shear at the Faro disaster and the pilots had made serious mistakes.[5] Furthermore, the data from the black box was incomplete in the Dutch report from 1993; the last seconds were missing.[6][7] In the cover letter to the report of the American Aviation Service, in which the data from the black box were presented, it was indicated that the autopilot had been used incorrectly. The report also recommended improving the training of pilots.[8] The [Dutch Safety Board](/source/Dutch_Safety_Board) stated that it was unable to respond because the Council had not been able to view and assess the report from Horlings. Attorney Jan Willem Koeleman, who assisted some of the surviving relatives, announced that he would request Martinair to recognize liability and pay additional compensation.[5] On 8 December 2012, Koeleman reported Martinair and the Dutch state to complain before the 21st of that month. After that date the case would be barred.[9] The case against Martinair, which had, in the meantime, become part of [KLM](/source/KLM), finally served on 13 January 2014 in [Amsterdam](/source/Amsterdam).[10] On February 26, 2014, the court rendered judgement, ruling that additional damages were not necessary.[11] The case against the state of the Netherlands served on 20 January 2014 in [The Hague](/source/The_Hague).[10] On the same day on which the District Court ruled in Amsterdam, 26 February 2014, a decision was also made here by means of an interlocutory judgement. Unlike the court in Amsterdam, the court in The Hague deemed further investigation necessary and wished to hear experts.[11] In January 2020, the District Court of the Hague ruled that the Dutch state was partly responsible for the accident.[12] ## News coverage The disaster at Faro happened a few months after the crash of [El Al Flight 1862](/source/El_Al_Flight_1862), in an Amsterdam neighbourhood. Although the crash at Faro was more deadly, it received relatively little media attention. Survivors felt that too little attention was being given to their experience from the crash. They united as the "Anthony Ruys Foundation", after the name of the aircraft, to engage with the media. This foundation was dissolved in May 2011.[13] On 16 January 2016, the Dutch [current affairs](/source/Current_affairs_(news_format)) program *[EenVandaag](/source/EenVandaag)* aired an episode about the disaster. In the broadcast, a former technical controller from Martinair stated that, sometime before the date of the flight and under great pressure from his supervisors, he had signed a form in which the replacement of a landing gear of the aircraft was postponed for a third time. Such a postponement could only be granted twice. The episode included an interview with attorney Jan Willem Koeleman, who assisted victims and survivors, detailing he had discovered that an archive of the Aviation Council should remain secret. CDA member of parliament, [Pieter Omtzigt](/source/Pieter_Omtzigt), called this "very inappropriate" and demanded that the government ask for clarification.[14] ## In popular culture The events of Martinair Flight 495 were featured in the 2022 episode "[Peril over Portugal](/source/List_of_Mayday_episodes#ep192)", of the Canadian documentary TV series *[Mayday](/source/Mayday_(Canadian_TV_series))*.[15] ## See also - [Bhoja Air Flight 213](/source/Bhoja_Air_Flight_213) - [China Airlines Flight 642](/source/China_Airlines_Flight_642) - [Delta Air Lines Flight 191](/source/Delta_Air_Lines_Flight_191) - [Pan Am Flight 759](/source/Pan_Am_Flight_759) - [USAir Flight 1016](/source/USAir_Flight_1016) - [American Airlines Flight 1420](/source/American_Airlines_Flight_1420) - [United Nations Flight 834](/source/United_Nations_Flight_834) - [Aeroméxico Connect Flight 2431](/source/Aerom%C3%A9xico_Connect_Flight_2431) - [1956 Kano Airport BOAC Argonaut crash](/source/1956_Kano_Airport_BOAC_Argonaut_crash) ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_1-3) Ranter, Harro. ["21 Dec 1992 DC-10 accident entry"](https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19921221-0). *aviation-safety.net*. [Aviation Safety Network](/source/Aviation_Safety_Network). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["PH-MBN Final Report"](https://www.vliegrampfaro.nl/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Final-Report-plane-crash-Martinair-MP495-PH-MBN-Faro-Airport-Portugal-on-21-December-1992.pdf) (PDF). *www.vliegrampfaro.nl*. Retrieved 20 September 2024. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Martinair DC-10 verongelukt bij Faro (Portugal)"](http://www.aviacrash.nl/paginas/anthony%20ruys.htm) [Martinair DC-10 crashed in Faro (Portugal)]. *aviacrash.nl* (in Dutch). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Analyse van ongeval Martinair DC-10-30F MP495"](http://www.avioconsult.com/downloads/Analyse%20Faro%20ongeval%20AvioConsult.pdf) [Martinair DC-10-30F MP495 accident analysis] (PDF) (in Dutch). AvioConsult. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_5-1) ["Echte oorzaak vliegramp Faro in doofpot gestopt"](https://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/2882/Oman/article/detail/1889812/2011/02/14/Echte-oorzaak-vliegramp-Faro-in-doofpot-gestopt.dhtml) [Real cause Faro disaster disguised]. *Algemeen Dagblad* (in Dutch). 14 February 2011. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Vliegramp Faro door fout piloten"](https://nos.nl/l/218821) [Faro plane crash due to wrong pilots]. *nos.nl* (in Dutch). 14 February 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Vliegramp Faro door fout piloten"](https://nos.nl/l/218821). *nos.nl* (in Dutch). 14 February 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Uitgebreid interview met Harry Horlings"](https://nos.nl/l/218936) [Extensive interview with Harry Horlings]. *nos.nl* (in Dutch). 14 February 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Aanklacht om ramp Faro"](http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/21141880/__Aanklacht_om_ramp_Faro__.html) [Indictment for disaster in Faro]. *De Telegraaf* (in Dutch). 8 December 2012. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_10-1) ["Slachtoffers Faro-ramp gaan strijd aan"](https://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1012/Nederland/article/detail/3576396/2014/01/13/Slachtoffers-Faro-ramp-gaan-strijd-aan.dhtml) [Faro disaster victims are fighting]. *Algemeen Dagblad* (in Dutch). 13 January 2014. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-V20140226_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-V20140226_11-1) ["Rechtbank Den Haag: nieuw deskundigenonderzoek in de Faro-ramp"](https://www.usa-advocaten.nl/rechtbank-den-haag-nieuw-deskundigenonderzoek-in-de-faro-ramp/) [Court of The Hague: new expert investigation in the Faro disaster]. *USA Advocaten* (in Dutch). 26 February 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-NLT080120_12-0)** Pieters, Janene (8 January 2020). ["Dutch State partly liable in 1992 Faro plane crash, court rules"](https://nltimes.nl/2020/01/08/dutch-state-partly-liable-1992-faro-plane-crash-court-rules). NL Times. Retrieved 8 January 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Anthony Ruys Stichting"](https://www.vliegrampfaro.nl/over/anthony-ruys-stichting/) [Anthony Ruys Foundation]. *vliegrampfaro.nl* (in Dutch). Vliegrampfaro. Retrieved 21 December 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Toestel Faro-ramp vertrok na grote druk"](http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/25018142/___Toestel_Faro-ramp_vertrok_na_grote_druk___.html) [The Faro disaster aircraft left after great pressure]. *De Telegraaf* (in Dutch). 16 January 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Mayday_15-0)** "[Peril over Portugal](/source/List_of_Mayday_episodes#ep192)". [*Mayday*](/source/Mayday_(Canadian_TV_series)). Season 22. Episode 2. [Cineflix](/source/Cineflix). 24 January 2022. [Discovery Channel Canada](/source/Discovery_(Canada)). - [*Final report on the accident occurring at Faro airport Portugal on 21 December 1992*](http://www.vliegrampfaro.nl/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Faro_MP495_accident-report-English.pdf) (PDF), DGAC, 6 September 1994 - Non-official English translation provided by the [Netherlands Aviation Safety Board](/source/Netherlands_Aviation_Safety_Board) ([Archive](https://web.archive.org/web/20140812014004/http://www.vliegrampfaro.nl/bijlagen/09001_ondezoeksrapport-Engels.pdf)) ## External links Media related to [Martinair Flight 495](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Martinair_Flight_495) at Wikimedia Commons - [*Final report on the accident occurring at Faro airport Portugal on 21 December 1992*](http://www.vliegrampfaro.nl/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Faro_MP495_accident-report-English.pdf) (PDF), DGAC, 6 September 1994 - Non-official English translation provided by the [Netherlands Aviation Safety Board](/source/Netherlands_Aviation_Safety_Board) ([Archive](https://web.archive.org/web/20140812014004/http://www.vliegrampfaro.nl/bijlagen/09001_ondezoeksrapport-Engels.pdf)) - [*1992/DEZ/21 - Acidente com o McDonell Douglas DC10-30F - PH-MBN - Aeroporto de Faro (Relatório Final)*](http://www.gpiaa.gov.pt?cr=9589) (in Portuguese), GPIAA: - - [Report document](http://www.gpiaa.gov.pt/wwwbase/wwwinclude/ficheiro.aspx?tipo=0&id=9589&ambiente=WebSiteMenu) ([Archive](https://web.archive.org/web/20140727002944/http://www.gpiaa.gov.pt/wwwbase/wwwinclude/ficheiro.aspx?tipo=0&id=9589&ambiente=WebSiteMenu), [Alt](https://web.archive.org/web/20110930132146/http://www.gpiaa.gov.pt/tempfiles/20080218182343moptc.pdf) [Alt #2](https://web.archive.org/web/20140812014025/http://www.vliegrampfaro.nl/bijlagen/09002_onderzoeksrapport%20Portugees.pdf)) – Original version - [Dutch Safety Board](/source/Dutch_Safety_Board): "[Aircraft accident Faro. On December 1992](https://www.onderzoeksraad.nl/en/page/17609/aircraft-accident-faro)" - [VliegrampFaro.nl](http://www.vliegrampfaro.nl/over/crash-martinair-flight-mp495-in-faro-portugal/) site mainly in Dutch, maintained by a survivor of the crash v t e Aviation accidents and incidents in Portugal 1940s Yankee Clipper (February 1943) Air France Flight 009 (October 1949) 1960s Viasa Flight 897 (May 1961) 1970s Venezuelan Air Force C-130 crash (September 1976) TAP Flight 425 (November 1977) SA de Transport Aérien Flight 730 (December 1977) 1980s Camarate air crash (December 1980) Independent Air Flight 1851 (February 1989) 1990s Martinair Flight 495 (December 1992) SATA Air Açores Flight 530M (December 1999) 2000s Air Transat Flight 236 (August 2001) 2010s Air Astana Flight 1388 (November 2018) v t e Aviation accidents and incidents in 1992 (1992) Jan 3 CommutAir Flight 4821 Jan 7 ECMM helicopter shootdown Jan 20 Air Inter Flight 148 Jan 28 Azerbaijani Mil Mi-8 shootdown Feb 14 Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 386 Feb 15 Air Transport International Flight 805 Mar 22 USAir Flight 405 Mar 30 Aviaco Flight 231 Mar 31 Trans-Air Service Flight 671 Jun 6 Copa Airlines Flight 201 Jun 7 American Eagle Flight 5456 Jun 8 GP Express Airlines Flight 861 Jul 20 Tbilisi Tupolev Tu-154 crash Jul 24 Mandala Airlines Flight 660 Jul 30 TWA Flight 843 Jul 31 Thai Airways International Flight 311 Jul 31 China General Aviation Flight 7552 Aug 27 Aeroflot Flight 2808 Aug 27 Gimli DHC-4 Caribou crash Sep 4 Vietnam Airlines Flight 850 Sep 26 Nigerian Air Force C-130 crash Sep 28 Pakistan International Airlines Flight 268 Oct 4 El Al Flight 1862 Oct 18 Merpati Nusantara Airlines Flight 5601 Nov 14 Vietnam Airlines Flight 474 Nov 15 Aero Caribbean Ilyushin Il-18 crash Nov 24 China Southern Airlines Flight 3943 Dec 14 Russian Air Force Mil Mi-8 shootdown Dec 21 Martinair Flight 495 Dec 22 Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 1103 1991 ◄ ► 1993 [Portals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents/Portals): - [Netherlands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Netherlands) - [Portugal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Portugal) - [Aviation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Aviation) - [1990s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:1990s) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Martinair Flight 495](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martinair_Flight_495) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martinair_Flight_495?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.