Contrary to a popular misconception, most aircraft accidents are survivable. This fact has been documented by the NTSB, which analyzed Part 121 accidents in the U.S. between 1983 and 2000 involving at least one fatality or serious injury in which aircraft were substantially damaged. In the 568 such mishaps studied by the Board, 95.7 percent of the accident aircraft occupants lived. There were survivors in all but a handful of the 71 accidents that resulted in at least one fatality. The survival percentage would have been even higher had it not been for the 1996 losses of a burning ValuJet DC-9 in Florida and TWA 800, a 747 that exploded a few minutes after takeoff from New York JFK Airport. All 340 people aboard both those aircraft were killed.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO, known until July 31 as the General Accounting Office), the investigative arm of Congress, believes that survivable accidents can be made even more survivable. The NTSB, FAA and Amsafe all seem to agree. Phoenix-based Amsafe, currently the only supplier of certified inflatable seatbelt restraints for fixed-wing aircraft occupants, believes these airbag-based systems have the potential to save a significant number of people who would otherwise die from post-crash injuries.
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