The Safest Seat on Any Plane

How to play the numbers on the big roulette wheel in the sky

When we think of a plane crash, we typically think of a catastrophic event, of an aircraft plummeting from the sky. But the majority of accidents involving planes also involve something else: survivors. Hard landings, bad takeoffs, runway collisions, loss of control, and other survivable events make up roughly 56 percent of airplane accidents. And your chances of escaping with your skin intact may change depending on where you're seated. Why? Because most people who die in survivable crashes aren't killed by the impact; they die instead from toxic smoke inhalation immediately afterward. Getting out alive comes down to two factors: surviving the impact, and getting out fast. So sitting in the middle of the plane is not a particularly good bet, since on many planes you're sitting over the center fuel tank. And if the wing tanks are ruptured, vaporized fuel can quickly explode. A general guideline: Your chances of survival increase the most if you score a seat by an emergency exit near the rear of the plane. There are two reasons why: First, sitting near an emergency exit simply means you can get out faster, without having to climb over anyone. Second, being in the back of the plane puts you farthest from the engines on most aircraft.

No one compiles statistics to confirm that one seat is safer than another, so these recommendations are based on anecdotal evidence and personal experience. Each aircraft is different, of course, but a few have seats that are clearly safer (and in many cases, more comfortable). Here's a quick rundown:

Plane Type: 757
Safest Seat: Seats 10A and 10F. Though these are window seats, there are no 9A and 9F seats to block your escape, and the exit doors are just a couple of feet in front of you.

Plane Type: 747
Safest Seat: Rows 61 through 64, closest to the window. The 747 tapers near the rear, and as a result, there are no window seats in those rows, just extra space to help you relax during a flight…and escape in a crash.

Plane Type: MD80
Safest Seat: Rows 21 and 22 have an extra eight inches of legroom because they are near the emergency exits. And they're far away from the engines, which are in the rear of this plane.

Plane Type: 737
Safest Seat: As far rear as possible.

For safety records of each individual airline and airplane type, check out airsafe.com . For seating charts, check out seatguru.com .