# Would you die instantly in a plane crash? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 28, 2006, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218 "2006-10-28T08:12:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/21 "2006-10-28T16:06:48Z")
Well, my understanding of the impact (which can be verified[?] by jumping off a high dive into a swimming pool) is that an air bubble is dragged underwater with you. I don’t know if that air bubble (if you assume you properly break the water and don’t suffer a large instantaneous decceleration) will protect your vitals or not. I did read the danger of water going up the anus and/or vagina tho-again dunno if the water bubble will protect you there or not. ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Handsome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@Gus\_Handsome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Handsome)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/22 "2006-10-28T17:28:53Z")
Thank you, I really enjoyed reading those replies. I’m glad I won’t feel much pain if I’m ever unfortunate enough to experience such an event. Like someone selse mentioned here, I think it really would be a horrific last 30 seconds (or however long it takes) while the plane is spiraling down and your waiting for the impact. Regards Gus ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/23 "2006-10-28T18:33:21Z")
Well, if you’ve ever seen a movie called [_Battle Beyond the Stars_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080421/), a cheesy but entertaining remake of _The Magnificent Seven / The Seven Samurai_, you might remember a scene where George Peppard’s spaceship is critically damaged and he’s plunging out of orbit. He recognizes his fate, puts his feet up, and starts playing his beloved harmonica. Surely a case worth emulating. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/24 "2006-10-28T18:38:20Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] As **TheLoadedDog** says, it’s not necessarily how long it takes _after_ impact, but how long you spend in a Spiral Dive of Doom beforehand ☹ My own personal nightmare is that the plane is ripped apart by an explosion and I am conscious while in freefall still strapped into my seat. I believe investigators reckon some of the victims of the Lockerbie bombing regained consciousness on the way down… doesn’t bear thinking about, really. By the way, morbid person that I am, is that Erebus video available online anywhere? [/QUOTE] Somewhere I read that at least one of the deceased at Lockerbie may have survived if only they’d found him in time. Imagine that. (Or don’t, if you don’t care to. Personally, at the moment I’m on a cruise ship and the lifeboat drill gave me serious heebie jeebies, addicted as I am to books about disasters at sea. Don’t know why - they give me terrible nightmares.) ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/25 "2006-10-28T18:39:50Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] As **TheLoadedDog** says, it’s not necessarily how long it takes _after_ impact, but how long you spend in a Spiral Dive of Doom beforehand ☹ My own personal nightmare is that the plane is ripped apart by an explosion and I am conscious while in freefall still strapped into my seat. I believe investigators reckon some of the victims of the Lockerbie bombing regained consciousness on the way down… doesn’t bear thinking about, really. By the way, morbid person that I am, is that Erebus video available online anywhere? [/QUOTE] If your plane is above about 15,000 feet, you wouldn’t remain conscious for more than a few seconds. Also, hitting water from a height, is no different than hitting concrete. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/26 "2006-10-28T18:46:24Z")
[QUOTE=gabriela] I won’t specify further. [/QUOTE] Tease. ---
**Author:** ![Fugaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Fugaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugaway)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/27 "2006-10-28T20:43:40Z")
[QUOTE=picunurse] If your plane is above about 15,000 feet, you wouldn’t remain conscious for more than a few seconds. [/QUOTE] Sure you would. Time of useful consciousness at 18000 feet is 20 to 30 minutes. Even at 28000 feet you would have 2.5 to 3 minutes. That’s plenty of time to fall to thicker air. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/28 "2006-10-28T21:04:26Z")
[QUOTE=picunurse] If your plane is above about 15,000 feet, you wouldn’t remain conscious for more than a few seconds. [/QUOTE] I’d be shocked if that were true. The atmospheric pressure at 15,000 feet is around 430 mm Hg, and leads to hemoglobin saturation levels of 80% or so. Sure, I wouldn’t hang around for a long time at that altitude, and doing hard physical labor or demanding mental tasks will be difficult, but people have climbed Everest without supplemental oxygen, and that’s twice as high. If you only stayed conscious for 30 seconds or so you’d be well below the altitude where oxygen is required. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/29 "2006-10-28T21:08:17Z")
[QUOTE=Bill Door] I’d be shocked if that were true. The atmospheric pressure at 15,000 feet is around 430 mm Hg, and leads to hemoglobin saturation levels of 80% or so. Sure, I wouldn’t hang around for a long time at that altitude, and doing hard physical labor or demanding mental tasks will be difficult, but people have climbed Everest without supplemental oxygen, and that’s twice as high. If you only stayed conscious for 30 seconds or so you’d be well below the altitude where oxygen is required. [/QUOTE] Given the adrenal rush and hyperventilation that can be expected from a person going _What the fuck?! The plane’s exploding! AAAAAAAHHH!_ I’d guess that sort-of counts as physical labour. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/30 "2006-10-28T21:14:27Z")
[QUOTE=Fugaway] Sure you would. Time of useful consciousness at 18000 feet is 20 to 30 minutes. Even at 28000 feet you would have 2.5 to 3 minutes. That’s plenty of time to fall to thicker air. [/QUOTE] Here is a [very good article](http://abcnews.go.com/Business/FlyingHigh/story?id=1936770&page=1) explaining why that isn’t true. > [@](#): > > That point is around 28,000 to 30,000 feet. Above that, there isn’t enough oxygen pressure even when breathing pure oxygen to shove the O2 molecules across the membranes and into the hemoglobin. > [@](#): > > What if you’re at 39,000 feet and the airplane depressurizes and the yellow masks drop? > > You have nine to 15 seconds to place the mask over your own face before you lost consciousness. Here is a more [scholarly article](http://www.iiimef.usmc.mil/medical/FMF/FMFE/FMFEref/fs_man/CHAPTER%201.html) Also, being exposed to a temperature of -40°F in street clothes would cause rapid hypothermia, which would contribute to poor blood flow to the brain. ---
**Author:** ![Fugaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Fugaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugaway)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/31 "2006-10-28T21:37:31Z")
[QUOTE=picunurse] Here is a [very good article](http://abcnews.go.com/Business/FlyingHigh/story?id=1936770&page=1) explaining why that isn’t true. [/quote] That article does no such thing. Your claim is: > [@picunurse](#): > > If your plane is above about 15,000 feet, you wouldn’t remain conscious for more than a few seconds. While the truth is: > [@The USAF Flight Surgeon's Guide](#): > > Altitude Time of Useful Consciousness > FL 180 20 to 30 Min > FL 220 10 Min > FL 250 3 to 5 Min > FL 280 2.5 to 3 Min > FL 300 1 to 2 Min > FL 350 0.5 to 1 Min > FL 400 15 to 20 Sec > FL 430 9 to 12 Sec > FL 500 and above 9 to 12 Sec ---
**Author:** ![Fugaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Fugaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugaway)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/32 "2006-10-28T21:40:30Z")
Posted too soon… I fail to see how the time of useful consciousness according to the USAF being 20 to 30 minutes at 18000 feet reconciles with you saying that one would only have seconds above 15000. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/33 "2006-10-28T22:57:12Z")
People have survived free-fall from extended altitudes, but none of them landed on water. That is like, as noted above, like landing on concrete. The altitude record-holder, IIRC, was a Russian pilot who bailed out at @27000ft. and landed on the side of a mountain covered with a couple hundred feet of snow. The snow gave him a cushioned(?) landing, and since he hit at an acute angle to the slope, he slid down the mountain to a stop. Broke a few bones, but he lived. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/34 "2006-10-28T22:58:16Z")
[QUOTE=Fugaway] Posted too soon… I fail to see how the time of useful consciousness according to the USAF being 20 to 30 minutes at 18000 feet reconciles with you saying that one would only have seconds above 15000. [/QUOTE] I apologize. I mistyped and kept reading “15000” as “25000” Since I was sure that was what I’d originally typed. I just read my error in your last post. I think I’ll go back to bad now. Sorry :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2006, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/35 "2006-10-28T23:00:43Z")
The book [“Stiff,”](http://www.amazon.com/Stiff-Curious-Lives-Human-Cadavers/dp/0393324826/sr=8-1/qid=1162076386/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-3152354-2791857?ie=UTF8&s=books) by Mary Roach, has an entire (and entertaining, in a sick sort of way) chapter on plane crashes and their effects on the human body. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2006, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/36 "2006-10-29T00:12:01Z")
[The Boy Who Fell Out of the Sky](http://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Fell-Out-Sky/dp/0375503595/sr=1-1/qid=1162080630/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-8061613-9336033?ie=UTF8&s=books) also has a harrowing description of what the victims of Pan Am 103 went through when their plane exploded over Scotland. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2006, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/37 "2006-10-29T02:08:56Z")
I dug out an old bookmark: [The Free Fall Research Page](http://www.greenharbor.com/fffolder/ffresearch.html), there are stories that would make Mr. Ripley´s jaw drop. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2006, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/38 "2006-10-29T02:15:09Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] People have survived free-fall from extended altitudes, but none of them landed on water. [/QUOTE] [Just One](http://www.greenharbor.com/fffolder/judkins.html) ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2006, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/39 "2006-10-29T02:39:04Z")
Water isn’t exactly like concrete, in that it is possible to break the surface tension (try doing that into a sidewalk). Wikipedia article on Golden Gate bridge suicides: “Those who do survive always strike the water feet first and most suffer multiple internal injuries and broken bones.” That’s at ~75 MPH, not terminal velocity, BTW. I still contend it is possible if you know what you’re doing (and get a little lucky). ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2006, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218/40 "2006-10-29T05:45:13Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat] On the other hand if you’re talking about a (rather implausible) case where a plane goes into a vertical dive into the ocean at top speed… [/QUOTE] You mean like [Alaska Air 261?](http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/january00/alaskaair_2-1.html) > [@](#): > > The pilot asked for permission to make an emergency stop in Los Angeles just minutes before the plane suddenly nose-dived into the ocean. In the ongoing battle between tubes of aluminum going hundreds of miles an hour, and the earth. The earth has yet to lose. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-die-instantly-in-a-plane-crash/378218.md?page=3)