A Plane Crash in the Hudson--a Miracle, but not a Surprise
When I saw the tail sticking up out of the water, I had a terrible feeling. Today’s crash of US Airways flight 1549 in New York was unnervingly similar to the crash of Air Florida flight 90, almost exactly 27 years ago to the day. Air Florida flight 90 crashed into the Potomac River in Washington, DC, on a frigid day, just moments after take-off. It was extremely difficult for people to get to the surface before the cabin filled with water and sank—and human beings do not generally do well in extremely cold water. Back then, of the 79 people onboard, 74 died.
But this would be different. Everyone made it off the US Airways flight. And I realize now I should have been more optimistic. Most people involved in serious plane accidents survive, for one thing. And for another, we know that people in disasters can perform very well if they are given clear directions.
As soon as I heard everyone had survived, I knew the crew had done a tremendous job. We now know that the pilot managed to warn the passengers to “brace for impact” before the plane hit the Hudson River. Getting some warning—any warning—is crucial for people in all kinds of disasters.
Most of us become incredibly docile and obedient under extreme duress, especially in an unfamiliar environment like an airplane. The brain does not handle new information well in this state. Thinking becomes extremely challenging. One of the biggest dangers is that we will shut down and stop moving altogether—a phenomenon reported in every kind of disaster, from sinking ships to plane crashes to terrorist bombings. We go into a sort of stupor—not unlike animals playing dead—and it does not serve us well in modern calamities like plane crashes.
But there is good news: all the research shows that we respond very well to clear, aggressive orders. Flight attendants are now trained to scream at passengers to “get out!” in airplane evacuations. And it works--helping to snap us out of this stupor and get us moving. (Research has shown that if they don’t scream these orders, they have the same effect as if they were not there at all—which is to say, no effect.)
Look, the truth is, plane crashes are extremely rare. And water landings are so rare they are almost not worth talking about. But when they do happen, plane crashes are more survivable than we expect. And our behavior matters a great deal. Of all passengers involved in serious plane accidents between 1983 and 2000, 56 percent survived. (“Serious” is defined by the National Transportation Safety Board as accidents involving fire, severe injury, and substantial aircraft damage.)
It’s good to be reminded that all is not lost if you happen to be unlucky enough to be in a plane crash. Remember: the more information you have given your brain before anything goes wrong, the better you will do. Translation: read the safety briefing cards and listen to the flight attendants. The National Transportation Safety Board has found that passengers who read the safety information card are less likely to get hurt in an emergency.
In a plane crash at Pago Pago in 1974, all but 5 of the 101 passengers died. All the survivors reported that they had read the safety information cards and listened to the briefing. They exited over the wing, while other passengers went toward other, more dangerous but traditional exits and died.
Mike McDaniels said on January 16, 2009 at 11:05 am
Hello Amanda. What a wonderful outcome to the crash landing of Flight 1549!
I am currently reading “The Unthinkable...” and immediately began thinking about so many of the things that you wrote about regarding the behavior of passengers.
My daughter left to return to the University of San Diego yesterday. She is a Premed student and is considering the field of Psychiatry. I shared with her some of the contents of your book and she definitely wants me to send it to her when I am through reading it.
I was hoping that I would see you as a guest on one of the cable networks. I believe you would be an excellent resource, and an engaging guest regarding the psychology of passengers involved in a plane crash.
Thanks very much for writing “The Unthinkable...”
Best regards,
Mike McDaniels
Sparks, NV
Judy Woodruff said on January 16, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Hello Amanda - I’m a Brownie leader for Girl Scout Troop 42, which is troop of girls who are Asian American kids, adopted mostly in China. We’re working on a meeting for March inspired by your book The Unthinkable and Gavin De Becker’s books on fear as well. Your blog entry on the plane crash is fascinating of course and it reminds me of truths found in both books. Women are taught - still “taught” - even now - that yelling, screaming, - these are not attractive traits. However, most mothers will know that when a child is walking across the street and not paying attention and a car is heading straight for them - the only choice is to scream at them. It would be amusing if it werent so sad that they only now it is possible to cut through the layers of societal rules to train flight attendants to actually deliver life saving information the way it has to be delivered - by screaming it.
I still struggle with my own daughters on this issue. Think of how many lives have been lost because women did not want to be seen as loud - to be the kind of woman who screams or yells. How do we teach our daughters to fear less being seen as uncool or outside the norm and fear more real, actual events- in other words- to care less that it looks stupid to scream then it could save your life to scream?
Jonathan Haber said on January 16, 2009 at 5:50 pm
I’m a Business Continuity professional by day, and just finished your book. (Actually I listened to the audio book I won via a contest in the “In Case of Emergency, Read Blog” bog.) Thanks for the immediate follow-up with your thoughts regarding this incident.
Hari Kumar said on January 19, 2009 at 7:10 am
Dear Amanda,
I have just finished reading ‘The Unthinkable’ and was indeed thinking of the uncanny resemblance between the two incidents. Thank you so much for the extensive research you have put in and the way you have deftly packaged it into the narrative. I work in a disaster related field and will be quoting extensively from your book in many talks.
Thank You.
Best regards,
Hari
Sherri said on January 19, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Amanda, I had just read “The Unthinkable” about 3 weeks ago. Being a Disaster Action Technician with the Red Cross, I am often at the scenes of disasters - and your book was amazing. I had been thinking more and more that this information needs to taught to people - and so I have been seriously considering doing some classes in my community, based on your book. Hope this is okay - I learned so much from your book and want to share it with others. When I saw the news of the Hudson Miracle, I was mentally checking things off in my head on everything they did right - based on your book. Thanks so much!
Laurie said on January 20, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Amanda, by coincidence, I was reading your book last Thursday when I turned on the TV and saw pictures of the plane in the Hudson. (The irony did not escape me.) Because I was primed to notice, I recognized the media’s obsession with the panic meme, while the actual survivors mentioned how calm everyone was.
Thank-you for your book. In my real life I supervise a department that is responsible for clearing a building in the case of an emergency. I’m CERT-trained and very aware of emergency scenarios. But you presented information that I’d never seen before. I’ve asked my employer to purchase your book and then I’ll have my assistant read it. I believe the principles you discuss will be important for us in developing the leadership to respond appropriately if “the unthinkable” ever happens here.
Katie Pilcher said on January 21, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Hello Amanda - My sister and I read your book last year and were riveted. We can’t help but wonder if any of the passengers on the US Air flight attempted to take their suitcases/briefcases with them when they exited the plane. In your book you mention how many people try to do that because they just don’t think. I assume the women on this flight may have taken their purses but we are intrigued to know if you heard of anyone attempting to take a suitcase? (I did hear the passengers were given $5000 from the airline because it will be some time before their belongings are returned to them).
Upton Rehnberg said on January 21, 2009 at 4:25 pm
In the horrific crash of United flight 232 (DC-10, Sioux City, Iowa) on July 19, 1989, 62 % of the “souls on board” survived, despite the fact that the airplane broke into 5 different sections, was engulfed in a huge fireball and part of the plane skidded almost a mile before it stopped. When the pilot first saw videotape of the crash he said, “No one got out of that crash alive”, not knowing it was his crash. Be prepared for self rescue!
Lara said on January 26, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Since reading it last year, I have been so much less nervous when flying (thank you!) and I literally tell everyone I know to read your book.
Thanks for doing a service to the world by making this information accessible.
I also hope I am one of the ones with Neuropeptide Y.
Amanda Ripley said on January 26, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Thank you all for the thoughtful, generous comments. It is nice to know that more and more of us understand that regular people are not the enemy when terrible things happen. On Flight 93 on 9/11 and on Flight 1549 this month, regular people made all the difference.
And Lara, I’m with you on the Neuropeptide Y. I was going to get myself tested for the book, but I decided that maybe it’s better not to know…
Mike said on January 27, 2009 at 1:06 pm
The survival rate of 56 percent for plane crashes really surprises me. Before I read your articel I would have thought that a far higher percentage perished! Have to say thought that I thought the Hudson water landing truly was a miracle.
Upton Rehnberg said on January 27, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Both the Hudson River landing and United 232 were not miracles - they were examples of very well trained professionals doing what they had been trained to do, and doing it very well. There are many professional pilots with these kinds of skills. Fortunately very few of them are ever called on to demonstrate their skills outside of a flight simulator.
sandiegovisitor said on February 25, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Pphhew…! It really is unthinkable. Getting ready to face the consequences (which may be the death also) while sitting in the flight, is easy to ‘say’ only. For the US Airways flight 1549, which dived into the Hudson river and got saved, it surely is a miracle that seldom occurs. If God wants to save…who can kill…???
asian said on May 05, 2009 at 5:10 pm
I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it
I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post.
101 said on March 13, 2010 at 6:08 pm
I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit
Compare it said on May 05, 2010 at 2:31 am
I believe the principles you discuss will be important for us in developing the leadership to respond appropriately if the unthinkable ever happens here.
vicky jee said on May 17, 2010 at 2:40 pm
It is nice to know that more and more of us understand that regular people are not the enemy when terrible things happen. On Flight 93 on 9/11 and on Flight 1549 this month, regular people made all the difference.
Square Peg Web said on June 28, 2010 at 11:38 pm
The plane crash and plane accidents are happening every month in around the world.These are happening by not only pilots but also some technical faults.So don’t get scared about it..
Accident Compensation said on July 15, 2010 at 9:06 am
Plane accidents can happen anytime, anywhere. We may not be able to prevent it but at least we should be ready for any circumstances that may arise.
kitchen islands and carts said on July 16, 2010 at 6:28 pm
Accidents are very unpredictable, that’s is why we should always be ready and always keep in mind that panicking is not the solution. Courage is needed to survive such.
Medical Coding Certification said on July 23, 2010 at 4:24 pm
Plane accidents can either be caused by nature or by technical issue. When in such, panicking is really not the solution, stay calm and figure out a way to get out safely.
Green iPod Nano said on August 13, 2010 at 5:04 pm
Its hard to summon courage when you are already heading towards an accident, I mean, what comes first is panic. We have to learn to control ourselves to survive such.
Chicago movers said on August 24, 2010 at 5:19 am
Plane crash are happening once in a week or twice in a month in regular interval of time. And I think it may increase.
Breathalyzer said on August 30, 2010 at 5:08 pm
Accidents can happen anytime. It can happen the least you expect, we can’t blame anyone for it and neither can we blame ourselves. These are somethings that cannot be avoid nor prevented. The least we could do is to be careful and always be on the look out.