Jacob Veldhuyzen van Zanten
Encyclopedia
Jacob Louis Veldhuyzen van Zanten (February 5, 1927 – March 27, 1977) was a Dutch aircraft captain
and flight instructor
. He was the captain of the ill-fated KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 747
which was involved in the Tenerife airport disaster.
, Netherlands
, Veldhuyzen van Zanten obtained his private pilot’s license on June 21, 1947, and his commercial pilot's license on April 18, 1950. That year, he began working for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines as a flight director, and in 1951, he commenced duty as a first officer on the Douglas DC-3
. He then obtained his Flight Radio Telephone Operator’s License on September 22, 1952, Airline Transport Pilot’s License on October 19, 1956, and Flight Navigator’s License on August 6, 1963.
In addition to his duties as a regular line pilot, he had been the chief flight instructor for various aircraft. At the time of his death, he was in charge of training all of KLM's Boeing 747
pilots, and the head of KLM's flight training department. Jan Bartelski, a KLM captain until 1978 and later president of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations
, was a contemporary of Van Zanten and knew him personally. In his book Disasters In The Air, he describes Van Zanten as "a serious and introverted individual but with an open-hearted and friendly disposition. He was a studious type and regarded as the company’s pilot expert on the Boeing 747 systems." When the news of the disaster broke the KLM executives looked for Veldhuyzen van Zanten to lead their investigation, it was only soon after that they found out that he had been involved in the accident.
On January 23, 1971, Veldhuyzen van Zanten was type-rated on the Boeing 747
. That same year, Veldhuyzen van Zanten, along with two of his colleagues, went to Seattle to take delivery of KLM’s first 747, the Mississippi (registered PH-BUA). At the time of the disaster, he had 11,700 flight hours (1,545 of which were on the Boeing 747).
Veldhuyzen van Zanten was also the captain featured on many of KLM’s advertisements. While this has been attributed to his high position within KLM, Jan Bartelski, for instance, argues that Veldhuyzen van Zanten was photographed simply because he was the only captain available (due to his responsibilities as a flight instructor) to KLM Public Relations, as others were away flying.
Veldhuyzen van Zanten lived in Sassenheim
, Netherlands
. Some of his interests included music
, the United States
, and the Racing Team Holland. He is survived by his wife and two children.
passenger aircraft on the runway of Los Rodeos Airport (now known as Tenerife North Airport) in Tenerife
, Spain; killing 583 people, the crash is the deadliest accident in aviation history. All 248 aboard KLM flight 4805 were killed, as were 335 people on Pan Am
flight 1736.
In heavy fog on the airport's only runway, Veldhuizen van Zanten took off and crashed into the top of the Pan Am aircraft, which was backtaxi
ing in the opposite direction under the direction of Air Traffic Control; the KLM's flight crew had been aware of Pan Am backtaxiing behind them on the same runway. The dense fog prevented visual confirmation; the KLM captain thought that Pan Am had cleared the runway, and started to take off without further clearance to do so. Veldhuyzen van Zanten's actions were the result of a number of other factors, including rumored communication difficulties with Air Traffic Control (accents, and non-standard phraseology - though the Co-Pilot of the Pan Am dismisses this theory); he thought he had been given clearance (whilst given a departure clearance, it was not a take off clearance), and the Control Tower assumed that the KLM 747 remained stationary on the runway.
Pilot in command
The pilot in command of an aircraft is the person aboard the aircraft who is ultimately responsible for its operation and safety during flight. This would be the "captain" in a typical two- or three-pilot flight crew, or "pilot" if there is only one certified and qualified pilot at the controls of...
and flight instructor
Flight instructor
A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to fly aircraft. Specific privileges granted to holders of a flight instructor qualification vary from country to country, but very generally, a flight instructor serves to enhance or evaluate the knowledge and skill level of an aviator in pursuit...
. He was the captain of the ill-fated KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
which was involved in the Tenerife airport disaster.
Biography
Born in LisseLisse
Lisse is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 16.11 km² of which 0.41 km² is water. Its population is 21864...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Veldhuyzen van Zanten obtained his private pilot’s license on June 21, 1947, and his commercial pilot's license on April 18, 1950. That year, he began working for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines as a flight director, and in 1951, he commenced duty as a first officer on the Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
. He then obtained his Flight Radio Telephone Operator’s License on September 22, 1952, Airline Transport Pilot’s License on October 19, 1956, and Flight Navigator’s License on August 6, 1963.
In addition to his duties as a regular line pilot, he had been the chief flight instructor for various aircraft. At the time of his death, he was in charge of training all of KLM's Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
pilots, and the head of KLM's flight training department. Jan Bartelski, a KLM captain until 1978 and later president of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations
International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations
The International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations was created during a conference of pilots' associations held in London in April 1948 for the express purpose of providing a formal means for the airline pilots of the world to interact with the then newly formed UN body the...
, was a contemporary of Van Zanten and knew him personally. In his book Disasters In The Air, he describes Van Zanten as "a serious and introverted individual but with an open-hearted and friendly disposition. He was a studious type and regarded as the company’s pilot expert on the Boeing 747 systems." When the news of the disaster broke the KLM executives looked for Veldhuyzen van Zanten to lead their investigation, it was only soon after that they found out that he had been involved in the accident.
On January 23, 1971, Veldhuyzen van Zanten was type-rated on the Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
. That same year, Veldhuyzen van Zanten, along with two of his colleagues, went to Seattle to take delivery of KLM’s first 747, the Mississippi (registered PH-BUA). At the time of the disaster, he had 11,700 flight hours (1,545 of which were on the Boeing 747).
Veldhuyzen van Zanten was also the captain featured on many of KLM’s advertisements. While this has been attributed to his high position within KLM, Jan Bartelski, for instance, argues that Veldhuyzen van Zanten was photographed simply because he was the only captain available (due to his responsibilities as a flight instructor) to KLM Public Relations, as others were away flying.
Veldhuyzen van Zanten lived in Sassenheim
Sassenheim
Sassenheim is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland.The former municipality covered an area of 6.62 km² and had a population of 14,906 in 2005...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. Some of his interests included music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and the Racing Team Holland. He is survived by his wife and two children.
The Tenerife disaster
The Tenerife airport disaster on 27 March 1977 was the collision of two Boeing 747Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
passenger aircraft on the runway of Los Rodeos Airport (now known as Tenerife North Airport) in Tenerife
Tenerife
Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands, it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² and 906,854 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the...
, Spain; killing 583 people, the crash is the deadliest accident in aviation history. All 248 aboard KLM flight 4805 were killed, as were 335 people on Pan Am
Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
flight 1736.
In heavy fog on the airport's only runway, Veldhuizen van Zanten took off and crashed into the top of the Pan Am aircraft, which was backtaxi
Backtaxi
Backtaxi is an airport ground procedure which involves the use of any portion of a runway as a taxiway for an aircraft to taxi in the opposite direction from which it will take off or has landed...
ing in the opposite direction under the direction of Air Traffic Control; the KLM's flight crew had been aware of Pan Am backtaxiing behind them on the same runway. The dense fog prevented visual confirmation; the KLM captain thought that Pan Am had cleared the runway, and started to take off without further clearance to do so. Veldhuyzen van Zanten's actions were the result of a number of other factors, including rumored communication difficulties with Air Traffic Control (accents, and non-standard phraseology - though the Co-Pilot of the Pan Am dismisses this theory); he thought he had been given clearance (whilst given a departure clearance, it was not a take off clearance), and the Control Tower assumed that the KLM 747 remained stationary on the runway.
Aircraft type ratings
Veldhuyzen van Zanten was rated for the following aircraft:- Douglas DC-3Douglas DC-3The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
from 28 September 1951 to 20 June 1962. - Convair CV240/340Convair 240The Convair CV-240 was an American airliner produced by Convair from 1947 to 1954, initially as a possible replacement of the ubiquitous Douglas DC-3. While featuring a more modern design, the 240 series was able to make some inroads as a commercial airliner and also had a long development cycle...
from 23 August 1952 to 20 June 1962. - Lockheed ConstellationLockheed ConstellationThe Lockheed Constellation was a propeller-driven airliner powered by four 18-cylinder radial Wright R-3350 engines. It was built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in numerous models, all distinguished by a...
from 1 October 1952 to 20 June 1962. - Douglas DC-6Douglas DC-6The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range...
from 12 February 1957 to 20 June 1962. - Douglas DC-7Douglas DC-7The Douglas DC-7 is an American transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1953 to 1958. It was the last major piston engine powered transport made by Douglas, coming just a few years before the advent of jet aircraft such as the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8.-Design and...
C from 6 June 1957 to 20 June 1962. - Vickers Viscount 803Vickers ViscountThe Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
from 11 June 1959 to 21 July 1967. - Douglas DC-8Douglas DC-8The Douglas DC-8 is a four-engined narrow-body passenger commercial jet airliner, manufactured from 1958 to 1972 by the Douglas Aircraft Company...
from 16 March 1967 to 9 June 1971. - Boeing 747Boeing 747The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
from 23 January 1971 to 27 March 1977.