Why are women and children saved first?

[lisab]

4) Just remember that, no matter how stressful the plane crash itself might be, surviving a plane crash will probably result in http://www.apa.org/releases/planecrash.html (definitely better than the mental health of the non-survivors).

Hmmm...that article compares the mental well-being of plane crash survivors to frequent flyers who have never been in a plane crash. It found that crash survivors were in better mental health.

But I wouldn't say that being in a crash results in better mental health. My guess is that the mentally healthy people were more likely to survive. Perhaps depressed people, or those who struggle with anxiety, are more prone to "freezing up" at critical moments.

(The sample size was so small - 15 crash survivors and 8 frequent flyers - perhaps no conclusion can be drawn.)

 

[BobG]

BobG, I've been meaning to tell you that I'm afraid you're our next funniest member Guru. I would suggest you start preparing your fireproof apparel.

Well, naturally, those that plan what to do after being tossed in the volcano are the most likely to survive and I kind of look forward to finally being psychologically well adjusted. I'm simply astounded at the advances in psychiatry since the days of electro-shock treatment and ice-pick lobotomies.

 

[C Rob]

What about single women?

Families, Women, Men, Elderly. On ships anyhow. I assume evacuating a crashed plane isn't as much of orderly exit as crawling over bodies and finding a hole big enough to get out. For the record, you won't survive a plane crash...

 

[Evo]

For the record, you won't survive a plane crash...

What do you mean "you won't survive a plane crash? Take a look - plane crash survivors

 

[BobG]

For the record, you won't survive a plane crash...

There's a high casualty rate, but quite a few people survive plane crashes (List of commercial plane crashes). You're more likely to survive a crash if it occurs while taking off or landing, but those are the most common types of crashes. You even have some chance of surviving if your plane is destroyed in mid-air (mid-air collision, explosion, lightning strike, etc).

Juliane Koepcke fell out of an airplane that broke apart after a lightning strike and fell, still strapped in her seat, from an altitude of 2 miles into the Amazon rain forest, then walked for 10 days to reach civilization (it was later discovered that 14 people survived the initial crash/fall, but died awaiting rescue). Staying strapped in your seat isn't a good idea in spite of it working for Koepcke. Airplane seats are heavy and normally come in rows. Your row of 2 or 3 seats is going to have a higher terminal velocity than your body alone. Best bet is to quickly release your seatbelt and push off from your seat before you lose consciousness from the thin air.

Just a month later, Vesna Vulovich fell from a plane that exploded in mid-air at around 10,000 ft and she survived. She wound up partially paralyzed, but continued working with the airline in a desk job.

Crashing into mountains has a low probability of survival, as well. Still, it happens once in a while. Sixteen survived a plane crash in the Andes and 17 others survived the initial impact, but died during the 2 months they spent stranded in the Andes awaiting rescue. The survivors stayed alive by eating the dead.

(While not related to survival, I found it surprising that there were two crashes caused by crews so busy fixing faulty light bulbs that they failed to notice they were losing altitude or running out of fuel. How many crewmembers does it take to change a light bulb?)

 

[rootX]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=URvMd-pjSMc

I think that's a really serious problem.

In 2005 more than 900 people died in a stampede on the route to the shrine. The panic had been started by rumours of a suicide bomber in the crowd.

Women and children were among those killed, security and hospital officials told AFP news agency

See the video (A true situation):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7528117.stm

 

[mgb_phys]

It's whoever plans better before the accident occurs.

Edit: mgb_phys and neu will probably be one of the non-survivors.

Nope - I fly a lot.
On 737s I always sit in an aisle seat at the back. In the "unlikely event ..." I am going to be first to the door, over the heads of anyone else in the way.
The way I see it, is that if I get the door open while everyone else is re-reading the safety card it's best for everyone.

'Plane breaking up in mid-air' accidents aren't terribly survivable, but most accidents at take-off/landing/taxiing are, if you get out quickly.

ps Ignore the over wing exit - they are people who paid extra for the leg room, not the sorts who spent any time checking how to work it before take-off.

 

[BobG]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=URvMd-pjSMc

George is no Kramer. http://youtube.com/watch?v=rkpvON6IpNs&feature=related

 

[Moonbear]

You're more likely to survive a crash if it occurs while taking off or landing, but those are the most common types of crashes.

I think ALL crashes occur upon landing.