Survive A Plane Crash: Move To The Back
You could always justify your crappy seat in the back of a plane trip by telling yourself that in the event of an air crash, you’d be more likely to survive than those in first class.
Well, it’s actually true.
Popular Mechanics have gone and studied every American plane crash since 1971 and found that the survival rate for backseat flyers is higher than those in comfort.
In 11 of the 20 crashes, rear passengers clearly fared better. Only five accidents favored those sitting forward. Three were tossups, with no particular pattern of survival. In one case, seat positions could not be determined.
Should the airlines rethink their marketing for economy class? “Fly cheap, fly safe”?
Safest Seat on a Plane: PM Investigates How to Survive a Crash – [PopularMechanics]
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Comments
Jeremy Steele says on July 20th, 2007 at 9:06 am
I’ve heard that sticking your head in between your legs and kissing your butt goodbye also works.
Andy Cunningham says on July 20th, 2007 at 9:29 am
Well this is obvious: when did you ever hear of a plane reversing into a mountain?!?!?
stephanie says on July 20th, 2007 at 9:40 am
I love that the google ad under this headline was:
• Anxiety Treatments
• Latest Proven Treatments & Info. Ways to Take Control of Anxiety
• AnxietyTreatments.net
Thanks Life Hack, for giving us all another reason to have a panic attack!!
Mark says on July 20th, 2007 at 9:45 am
The Google ad I got was “Stop Fear of Flying NOW!” Good placement, since I’m more afraid of flying after reading the article!
WTL says on July 20th, 2007 at 10:16 am
I vaguely remember a Pop-Sci or Pop-Mechanics from the 80s – after a string of crashes – that talked about how to make aircraft safer – which included placing the seats backwards, because in that position people could survive rapid deceleration with far fewer injuries.
I always wondered why it wasn’t adapted.
Glenn says on July 20th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
IMHO, i think this article is a gimic… any pilot (student or comercial) will tell you theres no safe place inside an airplane durring a crash, luck and chance ditermains your fate its that simple!
“Well this is obvious: when did you ever hear of a plane reversing into a mountain?!?!?”
Ever heard of a tailstall? It happens when an airplane is loaded too much aft. Its the most dangerous scenario a pilot could face becuase tailstalling is most likely ireversable.
Glenn says on July 20th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
“Well this is obvious: when did you ever hear of a plane reversing into a mountain?!?!?”
Ever heard of a tailstall? It happens when an airplane is loaded too much aft. Its the most dangerous scenario a pilot could face becuase tailstalling is most likely ireversable.
You just never hear such accidents becuase pilots are required to do a Weight & Ballance calculation before every cross country flight amongs other things.
Steve says on July 20th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
1) Avoid being in a confined space with a mother pig. Or if you must be, put a bucket or wrap a towel over her head.
2) Avoid ignition sources in grain silos.
* Note that more people are killed being trampled by livestock or in grain silos than in plane crashes annually.
3) Don’t eat that bag of chips. (800 times as many people die of heart disease every year than in air related accidents.)
Ang says on July 20th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
I don’t think this is very valid. Analyzing previous plane crashes will not predict fatalities or fatality placement (in the cabin) in future plane crashes. Whenever an accident occurs, it is investigated and anything that failed is repaired on all airplanes in service, so most likely that particular kind of failure/accident will not occur again. And there are so many variables that occur during takeoff, flying and landing that it is impossible to predict future crashes-and if future crashes could be predicted they would be designed out of the airplane. But in the end it is usually not the plane that determines the crash so much as poor weather or poor pilot judgement.
Liam says on July 21st, 2007 at 10:38 am
Anyone remember the film “Alive” I agree with Andy’s comment:
“when did you ever hear of a plane reversing into a mountain?!?!?”
Excellent :D