From The Surprising Odds of Surviving a Crash:
Airplane accidents evoke a particular kind of dread — not only are they terrifying, they also often look unsurvivable.But the fact is that a majority of people walk away from even the most fiery crashes. Last month, 11 people survived a corporate-jet crash and fire in Teterboro, N.J., in which the plane skidded across a highway before smashing into a warehouse.
Broadly speaking, the numbers are compelling. From 1983 to 2000, the National Transportation Safety Board investigated 26 major commercial accidents involving 2,739 people. A total of 1,525 survived, or 56%.
The article advises you to count the number of rows to the exit — you won’t be able to see when the cabin fills with smoke — and to get out as quickly as possible. In case you need some motivation:
The biggest threat in a survivable crash is fire. Jet fuel (essentially, kerosene) burns very hot at 1,500 degrees, hotter than the melting point of aluminum. In addition, materials used in manufacturing airplanes give off toxic smoke, so the fuselage can become a deadly gas chamber in as little as 90 seconds. Just as quickly, heat can become so intense that a “flashover” occurs, where the entire cabin explodes in instantaneous combustion.
One factor in the survival rate in “biobehavior”:
In 1984, a Pacific Western 737 had a engine failure that spewed white-hot parts and led to an intense fire in Calgary, Canada, with 119 onboard. There were no fatalities — partly because, Mr. Palmerton says, 75% of passengers were frequent fliers who knew the plane and the exits. There were no handicapped travelers, elderly passengers or children on board.A year later, a British Airtours charter to Greece had a similar engine failure and fire on takeoff from Manchester, England. Of 137 people on board, 55 died. Panicky passengers clogged a narrow aisle, producing gridlock.