Ask the Captain: Which is the safest seat on an airplane?
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When making my seat selection, I've often wondered which is the safest place to sit on a plane? In the first few seats? The emergency exit aisle? What's your recommendation? - Lyn
Hi Lyn, you're not alone in trying to figure this one out. The question might seem like an easy one to answer, but isn't necessarily so. First, there is absolutely no way to know what situation might occur on any given day on any given flight.
For example, take the incident that happened on a Delta Air Lines flight bound for Atlanta from Pensacola in July of 1982. The MD 88 had a catastrophic engine failure on spool up for takeoff. Two jet engines are mounted on the tail of the fuselage, one engine per side.
According to the NTSB Report, identification : DCA 96MA068...”the airplane experienced an engine failure. Uncontained engine debris from the front hub (fan hub) of the #1 (left) engine penetrated the aft (rear) fuselage. Two passengers were killed and two others were seriously injured.”
In plain English-
The engine on the captain’s side came apart sending the fan blade, now acting like a rip saw, cutting through the rear fuselage. Unfortunately, there were folks sitting in those exact seats. Seats that on any other day would've been perfectly safe.
So, where is the safest part of the airplane?
Well, the flight data recorders are in the (rear) tail section of most aircraft for a good reason. This section usually survives most critical impacts with the sea or terra firma a.k.a. Mother Earth.
Long story short, I generally sit in the rear section of the airplane, aisle seat, but forward of any aft mounted engines. I never trust those suckers...
Answering your questions in our NEW ASK THE CAPTAIN column is, Michael Wiggins, a retired airline pilot who has spent the better part of his life shuttling passengers around the globe. Do you have questions for YourLifeIsATrip's airline pilot? Submit your question and look for answers in a future column.
W.M. Wiggins
Reader Comments (6)
From the statistics I recall seeing the safest section is the tail but the safest seats are those right by the emergency exit.
Chris,
Emergency Exit seating is definitely a safe place. That is true. It would be nice to have some folks survive in order to assist "other" on their egress. Hence you'd want them to survive being seated in a safe seat. The point I was I was trying to make was more encompassing.
The fickle finger of fate sometimes out smarts the theory of safety.
And then there is "creature comfort".
In the olden days ( in the military aircraft ) , it was deemed "safer" to place all passenger seats in the back facing position...the probabiltiy of the forward impact is the greatest and energy would be absorbed greater by the rear facing seat. Safer yes....comfortable....NO.
Just like todays "exit row seating", there in more legroom, but the seat is locked forward and can not recline.
I sat with a lady who used to have NO objection of sitting over the wing directly by the "emergency plug exit windows". That seemed like a safe seat. She NEVER sits there anymore. She was sittting there in ATL when a baggage cart drove under the wing opening the fuel cell like a sardine can. Ooooops. She rightly surmized that if the wing were on fire.....she'd be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I think she declines those seats now.
Maybe, one day, I will write on what the "FIRMS" really thinks about safety. $$$$$$$$ actions speak louder than words. And, do you think the FAA ever signs off on something unsafe.? I am biting my tongue, but I'll give you a hint...Show me the $$$$$$$$.
Chris, you are correct in your safe seating.
Again thanks for your input.
WMW
so here is my question--with this latest crotch bomber, whom, do you think, notified the pilot and what was he/she doing while the fire-dousing was going on?
Judie,
In the "good 'ole, ole,days", the Captain or his designee might come out of the cockpit....ooops....I mean the Flight Deck, (PC), and supervise or take charge of the melee.
Today, there is not a snowballs chance in Hell that any flight deck crew member will emerge. It's lock down time.
Back to basics....The crew will "Aviate, Navigate, Communicate" in that order......with a "heap" of communicating going on with controlling authorities and their respective company.
Various scenarios in this area are practiced "in the box" or simulator and with the inflight crew each re current training period. This is essential to communication.
Thanks for asking.
WMW
Dear Captain, I was hoping you could clear something up for me. I fly on average about 6-10 times a year. On one flight leaving Atlanta to Ft. Lauderdale, we were taking off in what I perceived was a pretty bad thunder & rain storm. The moments after take-off were extremely bumpy and my arm rest likely still has the imprints of my fingers still on it. Anyway, as we were climbing I heard a large "BANG" from the left wing, followed by another equally loud "BANG", there was a moment where I honestly though something had exploded and this was how I was going out. About 10 minutes later after the pilot found some calmer air, he gets on the intercom and tells us the 2 loud bangs we heard was "lighting striking the aircraft", that it sounds worse than it is, the airplane is designed to take it and not to worry; he then navigated his way out of the storm and the rest of the flight was unremarkable. My question is this: How common and/or dangerous is this? Was the pilot just telling us it was no big deal to keep us calm or is lightning striking the aircraft truly no big deal? It was by far the scariest flying experience I've ever encountered. Thanks
Yeah, Great post and stuff, you have shared with us. Really you have done great work....