On September 16, 1966, Iberia flight IB-261, operated by a DC-3 of Spantax, took off from Los Rodeos airport with destination La Palma, carrying 24 passengers and 3 crew. Soon after take-off, the port side propeller engine's RPM increased to dangerous levels. The pilot, Eugenio Maldonado, feathered the propeller, but the RPM did not decrease. As the aircrafit was losing altitude very quickly (1,000 feet) and was now below the airport altitude (2,073 feet), the pilot communicated that he was going to ditch the plane.
With incredible skill and courage, the pilot managed to land the plane on the sea, close to the coast. In less than ten minutes, Maldonado and his crew evacuated the aircraft. All but one passenger survived. This passenger panicked and refused to exit the plane, despite the efforts of the pilot, who tried to convince him until the plane began to sink.
The aircraft rests in the seabed upside down at 33 meters (108 feet), but the landing gear, the engines and the propellers of the port engine can be clearly seen.
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Facts about Wreck of the DC-3 Spantax aircraft It is in Spain- Wreck of the DC-3 Spantax aircraft is in the Atlantic (African coastal).
- The typical depth is 0-30 Metres 0-100 Feet.
- The typical visibility is 10-30 Metres 30-100 Feet.
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Images taken on this dive site
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Jorge SorialWreck of a DC-3 airplane. On September 16, 1966, soon after take-off, the aircraft was ditched by the pilot due to engine malfunction and loss of altitude. The pilot's skill and courage saved the lives of 23 passengers and 3 crew. 1 passenger died.