The airport was once infamous for its short runway which , surrounded by high mountains and the ocean , made it a tricky landing for even the most experienced of pilots . Between 1982 and 1986 , Madeira 's runway was successfully extended by to a total of , and also four gates were opened . The original runway was only long , but was extended by 8 years after the TAP Air Portugal Flight 425 crash of 1977
TAP Air Portugal Flight 425
TAP Air Portugal Flight 425
Madeira Airport