AOPA Air Safety Institute

Expert Insights: Crash Considerations - How to (Successfully) Crash an Airplane

The video delivers a detailed briefing on how pilots can deliberately manage an emergency crash‑landing across diverse environments—desert, mountainous, forested, and water—by integrating terrain awareness, aircraft handling, and specialized training. It stresses planning a flight path over low‑density areas to guarantee viable “outs” should an engine failure occur. In deserts, pilots are urged to execute soft‑field landings at the lowest safe speed, avoiding hidden rocks, pits and cacti that can snag wings. Mountain terrain demands locating flat gravel beds or alpine clearings and never approaching a slope sideways, while forested zones require using tree canopies as a cushion and keeping the seat aft to protect the cockpit. The instructor highlights practical tactics such as retracting tricycle gear to land on the belly like a canoe, sliding the seat back to shift the centre of gravity, and securing life jackets within reach. He cites ditch‑training simulators that teach breath‑holding before impact and rapid egress, noting that a pre‑impact breath dramatically raises survival odds. For commercial and general‑aviation pilots, these guidelines translate into measurable risk reduction. Incorporating terrain‑based route planning, mastering soft‑field techniques, and completing regular crash‑survival drills can turn a potentially fatal accident into a survivable event, ultimately lowering insurance costs and enhancing overall flight safety culture.