What EVERYONE Gets WRONG About Plane Crashes!

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If you were to ask a pilot which the safest seat on board an aircraft, they would probably point to the one in the flight deck. But what about passenger seats?

Is there REALLY scientific evidence that suggests there is a safest seat or a safest part of the aircraft? Let's crunch the numbers and find out!

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Below you will find the links to videos and sources used in this episode.
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#Mentourpilot #pilot #aircraft

[bighammer]

So avoiding all of the suvirvorship bias studies, the best place to sit is to know in advance the type of crash you will be in and choose the other side of the plane.

[PsRohrbaugh]

You're spot on with sample size. Especially because it doesn't consider demographics as far as I know. For example, first class might be biased towards older and wealthier passengers, who struggle more to evacuate in a smoke filled cabin, while the back seats are filled with younger budget minded travelers. Just one hypothetical example of biases that might exist in data.

[MarceloTrindade]

"Act professionally, even if you are a passenger!" Although subtle, that's a great advice! It's incredible to see the lack of respect some passengers have with those responsible for their lives during the safety briefings.
Thanks for this video!

[larrybolhuis]

Some time back I was deplaning a 757 through the door near the center of the aircraft. This meant that many passengers go out rearward and I was one of them. The guy ahead of me yanked his backpack from the overhead and headed rearward. As he did one of the straps looped an armrest and before I could pull it free for him, it stopped him in his tracks. As i had seen it I already had stopped so he could easily release it. As he did I commented: "And that's just one reason to leave carry on baggage behind in an emergency." His reply was unsettling: "My stuff comes with me, **** everyone else."

[zioniuz]

It's interesting that the chances of survival during an evacuation from a burning plane might be linked to the culture of the people on board. Some strictly follow the instructions, while others try to save their bags.

[carolinecaiger]

Thanks for this. My Dad was known as Mr. Black Box and was involved with accident investigation at the National Research Council of Canada and later with ICAO. Watching your vlogs brings back so many memories of his work to improve flight safety.

[MrHavk]

I always check where the nearest exits are... but I never bothered to count how many seats there are between myself and said exit. I'm gonna do that now. Thanks Petter!

[GrayMatter]

I'm one of those who does try to count the rows to the nearest exit. I also like to know where the life vest is, so put my hand under the seat to check and if I can't find it, I'll ask the crew. An old adage often attributed to Benjamin Franklin - 'to fail to prepare is to prepare to fail'.

[andrewgee]

I'm showing my age, but when I was a child, I lived in Germany as my father was a British Army Officer but went to boarding school in England. We kids were transported on mass at the beginning and end of each school holiday on an RAF VC 10 (I believe?) from RAF Gutersloh to Luton airport, and all the seats were facing backwards. It just seemed completely normal to us kids! I was quite surprised when I took my first 'normal' flight in a 'civilian' commercial aircraft, and the seats faced forwards!😂

[Tialano]

For those who need to carry medication on you at all times (i.e. insulin for Type 1 Diabetes) its SUPER important to make sure this is on your person at all times of the flight and not in your hand luggage. Even a small chest bag strapped on if you don't like too much stuff in your pockets (and passports for that matter!).

You really don't want to be in a strange country with no documentation and no life-crucial medication following an emergency diversion and evacuation.

[NeilW-pt]

Thanks Petter and team. As a patreon, my 10 year old son and I were talking about this last night as we flew home on your old company from Dublin to Vienna - and this adds lovely data (and proves our anchoring bias of always wanting to sit at the back…)

Also, in my role as a senior UN official, you added real value to how I teach teams about risk (especially Reason’s Swiss Cheese model).

So thanks for doing what you do - it has vastly more reach and impact than you could possibly imagine!

Happy New Year

Neil
Vienna

[glumada]

Count (and remember) the rows to your nearest exit and always wear your seatbelt, especially on the way to the airport in your car, since thats the most likely place to die flight related

[arnostkobylka]

Thank for your videos. I used to fly quite a bit as a consultant and corporate employee. I've experienced missing my plane twice, lots of delays, forgotten cards, cell phone and money in a taxi and running all over Skopje airport there and back through security with support staff. Once I collapsed while descending at CDG and was taken off the plane by ambulance. I also got pneumonia on a business trip in Greece from a combination of a cold, air conditioning and hotel air conditioning. A colleague who was originally a doctor was then afraid to fly with me (so he wouldn't have to rescue me).

And I once experienced a medical emergency landing, thankfully not because of me. On the way from FRA to SEA a very big lady collapsed luckily almost on the back door of the Airbus. We had to come down in Calgary, Canada. The paramedics from the Canadian police added steps to the emergency stand and carried her out to the ambulance without too much trouble.

But then it was a matter of what to do next, it was clear we needed to refuel. And for a while, the captain, in his own words (he told us more in German than English), argued with the tower about whether he could refuel the plane with passengers on board, or whether we would have to wait for a free sleeve at the terminal. And then we'd be dropped off and board again after refueling. And who knows if we won't have to go through security again. In the end, it was decided that with passengers in their seats, WITHOUT BELTS, with the doors open in the front and back, with stairs to the aircraft attached, we could refuel. Then we flew the bit to SEA for about an hour.

[EonityLuna]

In the recent Jeju Air 2216 crash (which probably happened after the script for this video was written), the only two survivors in that accident were crew members who were in their jumpseats in the tail of the aircraft, behind the regular passenger area. Everything in front of them was destroyed when that plane impacted the wall at the end of the runway, and took the lives of everyone there along with it.

I think ultimately it depends on how the airplane crashes; if it impacts nose-first, then obviously the rear of the airplane would be safer. But if the impact is more towards the side or rear, then things obviously would be different.

[kina]

Was on a rather turbulent approach into Chicago O'Hare on a Delta flight, meanwhile the METAR into Midway was showing windshear so I was getting nervous about diverting. Felt like an empty tin can in the breeze how we were getting bounced around up there. Getting close to the ground and I heard the engines spool up to TOGA and the 738 pitched up as I got to experience my first go-around. I've always been deeply into flying and aviation, and I was excited about it -- I realize it could be scary for some nervous flyers out there, but thanks in part to this channel, I knew there had to be a good safety reason for the go-around. Turns out the plane ahead of us landed long and was still occupying the runway. After climbing we re-entered the pattern and touched down about 10-15mins after. Just glad it wasn't windshear 😅

[julierobinson]

I remember seeing in a documentary about the Kegworth crash that the fact the plane hit a sloping motorway embankment actually saved MANY lives. So many on board were alive but unable to evacuate the werckage due to leg and ankle injuries, but the steep slope meant that the spilling aviation fuel drained away down onto the motorway, rather than feeding a fire that would have killed everyone trapped.
I must admit that although I love flying and do so generally feeling very safe the ONLY time I have ever been given pause is at that point where I am in my seat and the aisles are full of people loading - and I've suddenly thought 'God, imagine this if there was a fire and everyone was frantically trying to get out' - suddenly the aisle seemed very narrow, the seats very cramped...

[apsomya]

No matter how many times I have traveled, I always listen to the briefing by the cabin crew and always read the travel pamphlet

[muleface]

Exits can be blocked. It's important to remember that most exits on either side are directly across from another exit. If that's not the case, make a mental note. Also, it makes sense to figure out how far it is to the nearest forward and the nearest aft exit. And remember that in most cases, floor lights will indicate where the exit rows are. Remember also that smoke typically rises, so if the cabin is smoky, stay low. Crawl if you have to.

[tomstravels]

If you have something that you absolutely have to take with you during an evacuation like medication, phone, wallet, passport etc (small items) then either put them in your pockets, put them in a jacket with pockets you can wear during takeoff/landing or a small bum bag you can clip around your waist and can go under the seat in front of you. No excuse to open up the locker and grab your suitcase full of mostly clothes

[rvdb]

My mother is a fire fighter so checking where the closest exits are is second nature to her. So I was not surprised that she informed me (on her first ever flight) immediately upon reaching our seat that we were 6 rows behind the closest exit.