August 20, 2008: A plane swerved off the runway and crashed as it was taking off from an airport in Madrid. Eyewitnesses report seeing one of the engines on fire, while surviving passengers described an explosion from the rear of the plane.CNN.com: 45 killed in Madrid ... (August 20, 2008)

On the day of the crash, news reports circulated that Spanair's pilots union was considering a strike, citing the company's lack of a solid business plan.Reuters: Spanair pilots threaten strike over company "chaos" (August 20, 2008)

Spanair reportedly does not have a history of safety problems, but there were signs in the summer of 2008 that the airline was experiencing a financial crunch amid rising gas prices and increased competition. Spanair's owner, Scandinavian operator SAS, put the subsidiary up for sale in 2007. When no potential buyers came forward, SAS withdrew the bid, and the company's stock price plummeted.Times Online: "Organised chaos" at crash airline Spanair (August 20, 2008)Telegraph.co.uk: Madrid air crash: Spanair profile (August 20, 2008)Reuters: Spanair pilots threaten strike over company "chaos" (August 20, 2008)

In July 2008, Spanair announced it was cutting its workforce by roughly one quarter and grounding about 15 aircraft, in hopes of boosting its income in 2009. And on the day of the deadly Spanair disaster in Madrid, news reports said pilots at the Spanish airline were threatening a strike, citing concerns that the airline lacked a solid business plan. The pilots union said Spanair was wallowing in "organized chaos."Times Online: "Organised chaos" at crash airline Spanair (August 20, 2008)Telegraph.co.uk: Madrid air crash: Spanair profile (August 20, 2008)International Herald Tribune: Spanish airline Spanair cuts a third of its jobs...Reuters: SAS says to cut flights, jobs at Spanair unit (July 16, 2008)