Part 5/9:
Critical Communication Errors
As the flight neared its destination, the crew contacted the Tenerife North approach control, receiving clearance to descend to an altitude of 6,000 feet. However, the approach control faced its own challenges, as an inbound Iberia flight complicated the timing and spacing of the flight paths.
In a critical moment, the controller instructed flight 10008 to enter a holding pattern, but the instruction lacked clarity—particularly because it was a non-standard maneuver, not officially published in the approach charts. This communication included a slight verbal slip: the controller intended to describe the holding pattern, saying "turn to the left" instead of "turns to the left," leading to immediate confusion for the crew.