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
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Reader Comments (3)
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?