The Three Myths About Plane Crashes

The US Air Crash into the Hudson River proves that most of the things we believe about surviving airplane accidents are completely wrong. "Miracle on the Hudson" is a perfect headline to describe the pilot's incredible landing and the perfect evacuation of 150 passengers.

But as I learned over the last few years writing a book called The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life, the truth about who lives and who dies in plane crashes and other emergencies may surprise you.

First, many people believe that everyone always dies in plane crashes. And there's good reason: the greatest tragedies are ingrained in our memories. It's terrible and true: Everyone died in the most infamous crashes. Valujet 592 in the Florida Everglades. TWA 800 in the Atlantic. Swissair 111 in Nova Scotia. EgyptAir 990 over the Atlantic. Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie.

Despite these disasters, the truth about most airplane accidents is that people do survive. In fact, according to the US government, 95.7 percent of the passengers involved in aviation accidents make it out alive. That's right. When the National Transportation Safety Board studied accidents between 1983 and 2000 involving 53,487 passengers, they found that 51,207 survived. That's 95.7 percent. When you exclude crashes in which no one had a chance of surviving - like Pan Am 103 - the NTSB says the survival rate in the most serious crashes is 76.6 percent. In other words, if your plane crashes, you aren't necessarily doomed, just like the passengers on US Air 1549 in the Hudson.

Second, many people believe that everyone panics and freaks out in a crash. Panic is usually defined as contagious, groundless, unreasoning fear. Fortunately, that kind of panic almost never happens. It's not groundless or unreasonable to scream or cry when you're told to "prepare for impact." Nor is it hysterical or mindless to push toward the exits. That behavior is entirely rational and purposeful. In emergencies, researchers have found, most people actually freeze until they're told what to do. Some people also engage in what's called situational altruism -- they help each other.

Third, in a crash, many people believe there's nothing you can do to save yourself. In truth, however, your life is in your hands. Some experts believe that as many as 30 percent of the deaths in airplane accidents could have been prevented if people knew what to do and took action.

So how can you survive a plane crash? After going through the FAA's plane crash survival school in Oklahoma City and interviewing many experts and survivors of plane crashes, here are four key tips:

First, sit within five rows of any exit. One British safety expert reviewed seating plans in more than 100 crashes and interviewed nearly 2,000 passengers. He concluded that five rows is the cut-off for getting out of a burning plane. Beyond that range, your chances of survival are much lower. People in aisles seats have higher survival rates than people in window seats.

Second, pay attention to the safety briefing and develop your Plan A and Plan B in the event of an emergency. Count the number of rows to your nearest exit and your backup.

Third, focus on your action plan during the first three minutes of flight and the last eight minutes. That's when around 80 percent of accidents happen. In other words, before takeoff and landing, don't take off your shoes; don't put on a face mask to sleep; and don't wear earphones.

Fourth, relax. Your chances of dying on your next flight are one in 60 million. That means you could fly every day for the next 160,000 years and enjoy the peanuts without a problem.

To find out your Survivor IQ and to discover more survivor secrets, visit The Survivors Club.

Comments

[realops]

For those who claim this is not a crash, please read a dictionary and spare me the pompous "nuances" of the English language. As an aeronautical engineer, pilot, and ex-police officer this is a crash (by definition).

As for the controllers, the controllers are pretty much not a factor -- this pilot had the guts to do as the pilot-in-command should do, tell them to take a leap and then do what is right. Controllers are professionals, they understand they don't have the information the pilot does.

The pilot and possibly co-pilot should get the Presidental Medal of Freedom. I know special operations guys who saved less lives with a medal. The crew and every passenger should be invited to the White House and celebrated. ALL of them saved their own lives. Good for them. They proved their discipline -- just as the heros in Pennsylvania showed their heroism on 9/11. I am proud to see what good people can do when they pull together.

[happiness seeker]

This is what is called information. Thanks.

[HolmesMusic]

A remarkable feat to be sure. Way better than the train wreck in DC http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw9bxJb--3c

[ForObamaInDallas]

I have found that I am more likely to get sick from other sick and coughing people while traveling via airplane than I am to be in a plane crash.

Personally, along with the required preparedness demonstration and video, face masks should be required to be worn by passengers. Especially those who prove to cough and sneeze without covering their mouths.

[Pithaughn]

According to my son who is studying aero space engineering, the pilot told the controller what he was GOING to do, as he should. My son told me too many pilots wait for instructions from the controllers and follow them even if they make no sense. In this case the flight controller wanted the pilot to try to make it to a runway, the pilot said naw, to risky , I'm putting her down in the Hudson. The pilot in this case was exceptionaly prepared and apparently has ice water instead of blood!

[therblig]

"That means you could fly every day for the next 160,000 years and enjoy the peanuts without a problem."

well, unless you have a peanut allergy.

[uhappytoo]

"When you exclude" all those who died, we see that nobody ever dies in plane crashes.

[typhoon1999]

Funny how we can all talk openly about this. Try the same talk with a headscarf or long beard and you might be interrogated or arrested. I hope the well-to-do Muslim family that was kicked off a plane for a similar discussion is compensated.

[Nofuzzydreams]

Get that chip off your shoulder will you? This column has nothing to do with the unfortunate incident with the family. I learnt some good tips.

[braniff727]

Really, get off it.

[akshey]

Mr. Sullenberger should be considered for man of the year !

[oobatzcattlecall]

Fourth myth: that any god whatsoever intervened. This nation sounds like pre-historic humanoids with pitifullly proclaiming unfounded miracles over everything including a touchdown in last second comebacks in a football game. Thanking a god for human abilities and human courage.
This pilot was extremely calm, skilled and had calm waters (was the river placed there for this event by a god centuries ago?) to put it down in and pure luck.

[Soundofthunder]

Please cease your rational discourse and thoughtful analysis, it'll confuse the worshipers of miracles and prayers and other superstitious pap.

SOT

[oobatzcattlecall]

Ha! I just can't seem to stop!

[prostock69]

Darn! You beat me to it! I was going to post this! Brilliantly said!

[BannedInBoston]

The reason I h.ate flying so much has less to do with the possibility of a cr.ash (though that too) as being packed in a limited space with 100 plus other people and no way out. So it's a combination of claustrophobia, agarophobia (fear of crowds), acrophobia (fear of heights), AND cr.ashophobia....

[frantaylor]

If you wanted to design a machine to spread airborne disease among a crowd of people, you could not do better than a jet airplane.

[LeftRight]

I can CERTAINLY understand the claustrophobia and the agoraphobia, but the other two?? Not so much. Mostly because there's nothing to be done about it.

[melpol]

The miracle on the Hudson is a tribute to secular competence. It is the story of a pilot that had no time to pray for supernatural forces to come to his aid. If he did he would be dead as quickly as others who depended on prayer. But I would recommend prayer if you are not in a rush to save your life.

[humble liberty]

Oh come on, you weren't inside his head or that cockpit. Nobody has to go slow or loud to talk to God.

That's like saying an athlete can't execute a play and watch the ball at the same time.

[oobatzcattlecall]

Agreed to, see above.

[JulieSA]

Sounds like practical advice. I've ordered your book.

I wish more folks realized that the true first responders are the people who happen to be involved in the accident, or present nearby. Look at how fast the passengers got out, and how the ferry crews dropped what they were doing and immediately raced to help.

There is a lot that people can do for themselves and each other before the pros arrive, and it can make the difference between surviving, or not. Being mentally prepared is critical.

[Geoffinpdx]

I'll chime in with a complaint about people calling it a crash. Unorthodox landing, yes; crash, no.
I'm also puzzled by the high praise for the well-trained flight crew's doing its job well whereas when a similar incident occurred here twenty one years ago (United Airlines DC 8, Flight 173) here in Portland, Captain McBroom was excoriated. Yes, a dozen people died in that one, but about 160 walked away. Both were veteran pilots, and both followed procedure by the book. If everybody survives, you're a hero. If most survive, you're a pariah. Where's the logic?

[dave1626]

The pilot in that case was excoriated in the inquiry because of misjudgements in dealing with the crisis, which resulted in the landing being harder than it might have been.

[jimbobuddy]

"..the landing being harder.." because he crashed in a residential neighborhood - am I the only one around here that knows how to google(?)!!

[jimbobuddy]

He ran out of fuel ,after circling for more than an hour. THERE'S the logic. Where's your research?

[frantaylor]

When a vehicle is damaged beyond repair in a collision, it is called a "crash". It does not matter if it is a car colliding with a light pole or a plane colliding with the water, it is still a crash.

[tbirdalum]

Geoff, I was an aircraft mechanic with the Air Force Thunderbirds and any pilot who knows his stuff will tell you that any successful landing is called a controlled crash. Any mechanic that I worked with could get into one of the F100 planes we worked on and could take off without any trouble at all, but landing is a whole other ball game. So, they are all crashes.

[LeftRight]

The reason that they are calling it a crash is because it's a crash whenever it lands in a place or way that it was not supposed to. For example, if you land on a runway but then slide off the end, that's a crash.

What I find amusing is the term CFIT, which stands for Controlled Flight Into Terrain. In other words, it's a crash, but the pilot is still piloting until the crash.

[JScott]

'...most people actually freeze....' that's not the first time that I have read this from reading other accounts from airplane crash survivors.