There are three common types of air disasters: 1. Mid-air disintegration; 2. Crash during takeoff; 3. Crash during landing. Fatal air disasters usually occur due to in-flight explosions or accidents over open water.
The ninety seconds following an airplane crash are the golden window for survival. Making good use of this “golden 90 seconds” can mean the difference between life and death. Ke Doujun has compiled the Crisis Survival Guide: Airplane Edition for your reference.
What are the warning signs before an airplane crash?
1. Turbulence of the aircraft body;
2. Sudden sharp descent of the aircraft;
3. Smoke appearing inside the cabin;
4. Black smoke seen outside the aircraft;
5. Engine shutdown, with the constant roar of the aircraft disappearing;
6. A loud noise at high altitude, with dust flying inside the cabin — this indicates the fuselage has ruptured and there is sudden decompression.
Once any warning signs are noticed, report to the cabin crew immediately and prepare for evacuation as soon as possible.
What survival techniques can save your life?
1. Identify emergency exits when boarding
Count how many rows your seat is from the nearest emergency exit after boarding. This way, if visibility is poor inside the cabin, you can feel your way to the exit by touching the back of the seats. In an emergency, first recall the location of the emergency exits instead of blindly following the crowd. Emergency exits are the most critical escape routes during an in-flight emergency. Usually, the cabin will be pitch dark during an accident, so do not blindly follow others — pay attention to the photoluminescent strips in the aisle and quickly recall where the emergency exits are. If you find that the emergency exit is on fire or surrounded by thick smoke, head toward the light. In darkness, areas with light often indicate the way out of the aircraft.
2. Don’t fall asleep right after boarding
The three minutes after takeoff and the eight minutes before landing are the most dangerous. Survey data shows that 80% of air disasters occur during these two time periods. Therefore, passengers should stay alert during these times. Do not fall asleep immediately after boarding. The safety instructions played before takeoff outline procedures for handling emergencies — watching them carefully and memorizing the steps is very important.
3. Learn how to unbuckle your seatbelt
If the crew has issued a precautionary landing warning, the first thing passengers should do is ensure their seatbelts are securely fastened. In the event of an accident, the powerful impact can cause fatal injuries. Seatbelts play a crucial role at this moment.
After the aircraft lands or comes to a complete stop, being able to unbuckle your seatbelt smoothly is also very important. It’s recommended that passengers practice buckling and unbuckling their seatbelts a few times after sitting down, just in case.
4. Dress appropriately when flying
Try to avoid wearing T-shirts and shorts; opt for long-sleeved shirts and long pants, as they offer better protection in case of fire. It’s best not to wear sandals to prevent foot injuries from glass or metal. To avoid damaging the aircraft’s emergency slides, remove sharp items such as high heels and glasses. Also, remove flammable items like pantyhose to prevent burn injuries.
5. There is no absolutely safe seat
Regarding the notion of “safest seats” in the cabin, structurally speaking, every seat in the cabin has the same level of safety. The aircraft’s landing attitude varies in each crash, which means the so-called safe zone changes every time.
6. Adopt the correct posture during landing
Make proper preparations during landing. At this time, do not lean back in your seat. Instead, cross your arms on the seat in front of you, rest your head on your arms, and maintain this posture until the aircraft lands.
Impact position (either one is acceptable)
Learn the impact position. Bend your legs back as far as possible, keeping them within the vertical line of your knees; tilt your head forward and bring it as close to your knees as you can. The impact position is an important technique passengers should master, as it helps reduce the risk of being knocked unconscious.
7. Cover your mouth and nose with a wet handkerchief
In the event of an accident, avoid inhaling harmful gases and try to escape before the fire becomes severe. Once a plane crash-lands and catches fire, thick smoke can fill the cabin within moments. In fact, many passengers die from inhaling toxic smoke. Within seconds of inhaling the smoke, passengers may lose consciousness, which means the chance of escape is lost.
The most critical step is to protect your mouth and nose from directly inhaling harmful gases. Don’t discard the wet napkins that flight attendants distribute before meals. These napkins can filter out some harmful substances and buy you more time to escape.
8. Run upwind after escaping the aircraft
If you successfully escape a crashed plane, quickly run upwind away from the scene. Plane accidents are often accompanied by smoke, fire, or even explosions. Smoke and flames spread with the wind, so survivors running downwind may suffer secondary injuries. After escaping, assess the wind direction and move as far from the aircraft as possible to ensure maximum safety.
Where are the life-saving facilities on an airplane?
Since commercial airline accidents generally occur during takeoff and landing, life-saving equipment is mainly used in emergency landings. This includes emergency exits, evacuation slides, life rafts, life vests, fire extinguishers, emergency oxygen supplies, and more. Familiarizing yourself with the location and use of these facilities in advance could help you evacuate more quickly in a crisis.
1. Emergency exits
Aircraft emergency exits
Emergency exits on commercial airliners ensure that passengers and crew can evacuate quickly and safely during an emergency landing. These exits are typically located at the front, middle, and rear of the fuselage, marked clearly, and each is equipped with an evacuation slide and emergency ropes.
2. Evacuation slides
Maintain the correct posture when using evacuation slides
As the cabin doors of modern large passenger planes are three to four meters above the ground, evacuation slides are installed at each exit and door to allow for rapid evacuation during an emergency landing. These slides are made of nylon fabric, folded and stored in a dedicated box above the door, labeled “Evacuation Slide.” When deployed after a landing, one end of the slide is hooked onto a special ring on the cabin floor, and once the door is opened, the slide automatically inflates and becomes highly elastic.
3. Life rafts
When a plane makes an emergency water landing, evacuation slides can also double as life rafts.
Also called lifeboats, these are inflatable vessels used to evacuate an aircraft that has landed on water. Normally deflated and folded, they are stored in the ceiling area above the cabin and can be quickly retrieved and inflated when needed. The number of life rafts carried by modern passenger planes depends on the aircraft’s passenger capacity, and evacuation slides can also serve as life rafts in water landings.
4. Life vests
Proper way to wear an aircraft life vest
Life vests are individual flotation devices used in water landings to keep passengers safe. They are stored under each seat, come with usage instructions printed on them, and flight attendants also demonstrate how to use them.
5. Emergency oxygen
How to wear an oxygen mask
Modern passenger aircraft are also equipped with emergency oxygen supply systems. Above each passenger seat, there is an oxygen mask storage box. When the cabin pressure drops to the equivalent of an altitude of 4,000 meters, the oxygen masks will automatically drop down. Simply pull them down and put them on.
6. Firefighting equipment
All commercial airliners are equipped with various firefighting devices, such as dry powder fire extinguishers, water fire extinguishers, etc., to prevent accidents and also to detect and eliminate fire hazards early.
Before passengers board, the purser needs to check the emergency equipment of aircraft A, including life vests, manual oxygen opening tools, fire extinguishers, oxygen cylinders, etc.
In addition, modern commercial airliners are also equipped with emergency survival radios and automatic distress beacon transmitters for emergency calls, first aid kits for treating the injured, as well as other items such as emergency lighting, food, and drinks.
What common mistakes are made during an aircraft evacuation?
1. Forgetting to pull down the oxygen mask
Passengers generally know they need to put on an oxygen mask in an emergency, but the mask doesn’t supply oxygen just by putting it on. Many people might forget the detail of pulling it down, and afterward even complain that the mask is broken or suffocating.
2. Breaking the window to escape
Some passengers try to break the window with hard objects like their mobile phones to escape, similar to breaking a car window. But airplane windows are specially processed and are hard to shatter even with a gun, let alone human strength. If the window has no obvious cracks, smashing it is just a waste of time.
3. Jumping directly from the aircraft’s broken section
After a plane crash, the fuselage may become deformed and develop openings. In desperation, some passengers may attempt to jump directly out of the aircraft. However, the fuselage is several meters above the ground, and jumping directly can cause serious injury or disability. It's better to use the emergency slide.
4. Trying to take luggage while evacuating
Some passengers are still packing their belongings or even getting up to retrieve their suitcases when an accident occurs. During an emergency evacuation, every second counts, and retrieving luggage from overhead bins wastes precious time. Carrying luggage during evacuation can block aisles, slow down the escape process, and may also injure others.
5. Risking your life for social media
If a plane catches fire severely, it may explode. Passengers should quickly move at least 100 meters away from the aircraft after leaving via the slide. Phone-addicted individuals should not turn back to take dramatic photos, as doing so could lead to serious consequences.