The safest seat when a plane is about to crash

Source: Popular Mechanics

Many nervous fliers wonder how a giant hunk of metal can safely hurtle hundreds of miles an hour thousands of feet in the air. If traveling through the sky going speeds of 500-600 miles per hour, at altitudes of 30 to 40,000 feet, makes you nervous, you’re not alone.

Routine bumps and heaves sometimes even lead to darker thoughts altogether: If the plane were to crash, which seats are the safest?

Experts estimate your overall odds of perishing in a plane crash are well into the millions.

Image result for safest seat in plane crash

But curious travelers may still wonder about the safest place to be in the event of a very unlikely accident. The answer, it turns out, depends on the type of crash you’re in.

“Each incident or crash is unique,” said Alison Duquette, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration.

Image result for plane crash gif

Impact could come from a nosedive, a water landing or a runway collision, for example. As a result, she said, “There is no safest seat.”

For example, the Ethiopian plane crash landed nose down creating a 10m crater into the ground.

Image result for ethiopian plane crash

But two major media outlets have. In 2007, Popular Mechanics took matters into its own hands and analyzed NTSB data for every commercial plane crash in the U.S. since 1971 that had both survivors and fatalities and for which a detailed seating chart was accessible.

Image result for plane crash gif

Their conclusion?

Passengers near the tail of a plane were about 40 percent more likely to survive a crash than those in the front.

Image result for ethiopian plane crash

Seats in the back of the plane, behind the trailing edge of the wing, had a 69 percent survival rate, while seats over the wing and in coach had a 56 percent survival rate. The front 15 percent of seats had a 49 percent survival rate, analysts found.

A second analysis in 2015, for which researchers at Time went through 35 years of FAA data, found similar results.

Image result for safest seat in plane crash

The group narrowed their research to 17 accidents dating back to 1985 that had both fatalities and survivors and for which seating charts were available. Time found seats in the rear third of the aircraft had a lower fatality rate (32 percent) than seats in the overwing (39 percent) or front (38 percent) thirds of the plane.

The least safe were aisle seats in the middle third of the cabin, which had a fatality rate of 44 percent.

Image result for ethiopian plane crash

The Time researchers noted that the specific circumstances of a crash can render these averages irrelevant. But by and large, the back of the plane is the place to be.

Of course, there are ways to increase your chances of survival no matter where you’re seated. Pay attention to the safety briefing, know the number of rows to your nearest exit, and be prepared to brace yourself in the event of a very unlikely crash.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *