How to survive a plane crash

Flying may be the safest form of transport, but many of the three million people who take to the air each day are terrified of crashing. Now more than ever, though, it's possible to survive a plane crash. Most people believe that if they're in a plane crash their time is up. In fact the truth is surprisingly different. In the US alone, between 1983 and 2000, there were 568 plane crashes. Out of the collective 53,487 people onboard, 51,207 survived.

The advances in science and technology now mean over 90% of plane crashes have survivors. And there are many things you might consider to increase your chances of surviving such as:

• how to survive the moment of impact

• the life and death decisions you should make during the evacuation

• what to do if there is a fire onboard

• how to survive if your plane ditches into water

• statistically where you should sit to increase your chances of surviving.

World leading aviation safety expert Professor Ed Galea, of the University of Greenwich, has studied over 2,000 survivor reports and compiled a unique database. "Surviving an aircraft crash is not a matter of fate. You can help yourself getting out of an aircraft quickly, and so there are things you can do to improve your chances of surviving," says Professor Galea.

He has discovered what all these survivors were doing that got them off the plane alive and his findings are extraordinary. Time and time again many of the passengers struggled to undo their seatbelts.

"People tend to try and press a button on the seatbelt because in this emergency situation, they revert to normal behaviour. And what's normal behaviour for most people? Well, they experience a seatbelt in their car and in their car, it's a push-button system. "This seat belt is different to what's in your car; it's a latch that you've got to pull."

If your plane is about to crash, you may be told to adopt the brace position - an important step, says Tom Barth from AmSafe Aviation, an expert in how to survive an impact. "The brace position is a position that will offer you the best chance to survive in a crash because it stops you from flying forward and striking the seat or interior in front of you," says Mr Barth. "The important thing is to get your upper torso down as much as possible, limiting the 'jackknife' effect from impact forces."

His team in Phoenix, Arizona, has developed the first airbag ever to be put onboard commercial aviation seats. It's a technology that has saved thousands of lives every year in the car industry and he's hoping it will do the same in the aviation world. It makes the seat safer and complements other safety technologies such as the fire resistant interior, to ensure that you stay conscious and are able to evacuate the wreckage. 

"The airbag is folded up in the seatbelt itself and deploys away from the occupant, making it safe for children and adults. The airbags inflate very rapidly in about 30 milliseconds, which is much faster than you can blink your eye."

Many plane crashes have a post-crash fire but it's not the flames that are likely to kill you, it's the toxic smoke. Smoke onboard is lethal; in just a few breaths you can pass out. And if you had to evacuate in smoke, finding your exit is very difficult. But there is one simple step you can take which could increase your chances of getting off in the presence of smoke, says Professor Galea.

"I count the seat rows from my seating position to the exit. So in the event of smoke or if emergency lighting fails and it's very dark, I know the number of seat rows and I can feel my way to an exit. By counting the seat backs I'll know when I've reached the exit row."

Professor Helen Muir, of Cranfield University, who studies the behaviour of passengers during evacuations, believes how you behave in those last few minutes can make the difference between life and death. She has her own "one simple step" suggestion. "If you want to survive an aircraft accident, even though they're very infrequent, every time you get on an aeroplane you want to sit down and then make a plan," she says.

"In other words, look around you and see where your nearest cabin crew are, because they're the people who will tell you what to do and will make a huge difference. Then look where your nearest exits are, both in front, behind and across, and work out how you would get there." But what about the one question that everyone wants to know - the Holy Grail in aviation safety is where to sit on a plane to increase your chances of staying alive?

Mercedes Johnson survived the American Airlines Flight 965 which crashed into a Colombian mountain in 1995. Out of 159 onboard, only four lived and Ms Johnson believes where she sat played a role in her survival.  I felt like I was on a rollercoaster or something.  

"The location where we were sitting was over the wing which was near the exit row and I've heard on numerous occasions that those rows are one of the safest areas to sit in because it's the most reinforced with metal," says Ms Johnson. But sitting over the wings isn't always the best place, because you don't know how your plane is going to crash.

 "I'm often asked, 'well, where should I sit in an aircraft to have the best chance of surviving?'" says Ms Muir, "and, sadly, I haven't got a good answer." "They're unpredictable events, so you never know whether it's going to be a crash landing or whether you're going to have a fire in one of the engines. And this means you can't say where's the best place to sit."