In what percentage of large passenger jet crashes are there any survivors? And on those occasions, what is the average survival rate?
April 5, 2009 6:03 PM   Subscribe

In what percentage of large passenger jet crashes are there any survivors? And on those occasions, what is the average survival rate?
posted by Joe Beese to Travel & Transportation (9 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
I think it depends on what you mean by "crash".
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 6:13 PM on April 5, 2009


You could take a look at some of the statistics from the NTSB's Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data for 2005 which seems to be the most recent one available. This only covers accidents the NTSB investigated (and not other safety authorities) and the answer to your question depends on several pretty specific definitions. I suspect you're wondering about part 121 operations for a start, and they do list those separately (and they define what the means at the beginning).
posted by FishBike at 6:15 PM on April 5, 2009 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Chocolate Pickle: "I think it depends on what you mean by "crash"."

Fuselage makes contact with ground or water at some point.
posted by Joe Beese at 6:16 PM on April 5, 2009


Air Safe has a wealth of resources and statistics on crashes. Survivability rates are actually good overall.
posted by wingless_angel at 6:37 PM on April 5, 2009 [1 favorite]


Some other interesting survival stats are located here.
posted by boeing82 at 7:36 PM on April 5, 2009 [1 favorite]


I'd say it is pretty much an all or nothing survival rate. BTW, crashes can be mid-air without having contact with ground or water.
posted by JJ86 at 6:07 AM on April 6, 2009


and I mean "crashes" in the more generic sense of air disaster. ^^
posted by JJ86 at 6:10 AM on April 6, 2009


Not sure where they get the figure, but at the bottom of this Guardian article they claim that:
Between 1983 and 2000, 56% of passengers involved in serious plane accidents survived.
The article has some great and terrifying testimonials from some survivors, too.
posted by chorltonmeateater at 7:42 AM on April 6, 2009 [1 favorite]


Its not always an all or nothing thing. When a big jet crash landed in the freezing water in Quebec (i think) only a few people managed to get off before drowning or freezing to death.
Having a seat in the exit row could have saved your life.
posted by Iax at 1:04 PM on April 6, 2009


« Older What's the Lady Gaga/Fiona Apple connection?   |   What are contracts like for staff photographers at... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.