Categories: Plane Accident

Airplane Crash Survival Tips

Most of us assume that plane crashes are catastrophic events that no one can survive. This is often because of what is portrayed in movies and news channels. However, it is safe to say that a National Transportation Safety Board analysis of airline accidents between 1983 and 2000 showed that the survival rates of crashes was 95.7%. This article will discuss some safety tips to survive a plane accident.

Inasmuch as there are accidents where a large amount of damage happens to the point that everyone dies, the NTSB has found that even in respect of serious accidents that include fire or serious damage to the aircraft, passenger survival is still at 76.6%. Another interesting aspect is that a research on plane crashes by the FAA and NTSB found that 40% of fatalities that occurred in plane crashes were survivable. With the increase in use of planes in Alaska a plane accident Wasilla  is not impossible, so take note of these survival tips:

  • 90 seconds to get out – one article states that if a passenger survived the crash landing they literally have 90 seconds to get out of the plane alive. It notes that what kills the majority of passengers is not the impact of the accident but rather the fire that breaks out after the crash. Many people underestimate how quickly a fire consumes and spreads on an airplane, as a result there is literally just 90 seconds for the fire to burn through the plane’s fuselage[Fuselage Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster] and consume anything and everything.
  • You need to be fit – a rigorous study by the FAA noted that “young, slender men have the best odds of surviving a plane crash”. Because you only have 90 seconds it requires an individual to move quickly through the narrow aisles and get over any blockages on the way as well as slipping through the emergency exit that is only 20 inches wide. This task is extremely difficult if you are out of shape and fat.
  • The bigger the better – if it is at all possible choose to fly in a bigger plane as investigations have shown that larger planes are able to absorb a crash better because they have more energy and this results in less deadly force and increases the survival rate.
  • The five row rule – an article was put together by Popular Mechanics[Airplane Crash – Safest Seat – How to Survive Plane Accident – NTSB Data – Flight Records (popularmechanics.com)] providing an analysis of commercial airplane crashes in the U.S. documenting where survivors sit during each accident. The conclusion was made that the safest place to sit is the back of the plane. However, other investigations state that statistics are inconclusive as each plane crash is different from the other but researcher Ed Galea stated that those who survive plane crashes generally have an average of five rows to move in order to escape, therefore, the best place to sit is in the exit row and you are likely the first to exit and the five seats in front of or behind the exit row. This too is inconclusive as some people successfully exited after moving 19 rows in order to get to the exit row.
  • Read the safety card and listen to flight attendants
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