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| Date: | Sunday 29 October 1961 |
| Time: | |
| Type: | Douglas DC-8-32 |
| Owner/operator: | KLM Royal Dutch Airlines |
| Registration: | PH-DCE |
| MSN: | 45380/87 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 97 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Unknown |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Lisbon Airport -
 Portugal
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Zürich-Kloten Airport (ZRH/LSZH) |
| Lisbon Airport | |
| Investigating agency: | RvdL |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
KLM Flight KL771 undershot the runway during landing at Lisbon Airport.
The aircraft came in low and when it sank a bit further during the flare, it collided with an approach light approximately 35 meters before the start of the runway. It then touched the ground about 30 meters before the runway threshold.
The runway in Lisbon was known to be relatively short for a DC-8 and also sloped downward toward the final section. Additionally, the thrust reversers had previously sustained some damage which, although it did not affect airworthiness, meant that only engines no.2 and no.3 could be used for reverse thrust. These were likely the considerations that led the second pilot, who was executing the landing, to aim for the shortest possible landing distance.
Sources:
https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/rapporten/2023/03/22/bijlage-3-inventaris-van-de-archieven-rvdl-en-bvoi-2-16-107
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 30-Aug-2024 17:23 | ASN | Added |
| 17-Oct-2024 17:17 | ASN | Updated [Cn, ] |
| 05-Dec-2024 09:31 | Justanormalperson | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Total fatalities, Location, Nature, ] |
| 05-Dec-2024 09:35 | ASN | Updated [Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, ] |
| 05-Dec-2024 09:35 | ASN | Updated [Total occupants, ] |
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