isnt this scary??

Question

f an airplane is crashing.... and its over the ocean, say it doesnt break apart in the air, is it possible for the plane to hit the water and stay whole, and for the passengers in the plane to still be alive when it hits? so then say the plane is still whole and people are still alive the plane goes underwater and sinks to the bottom of the ocean and all the people in it drownd. could that happen? scientifically?

Answer 1

I have been watching the TV program Mayday aka Air Crash Investigation or Air Emergency. They show the investigation and simulate the trip and dissect the events leading up to the crash and the rescue. You might be interested.

I can only recall one episode with a crash like this. I remember the simulated scenes of bodies inside the jet like you describe.
Hijackers diverted the plane to an obnoxiously long way. The pilot kept pleading there wasn't enough fuel, but the hijackers just figured they were bluffing. So they crash landed in the ocean. The engine hangs down from the wing, and will cause drag when hitting the water. The plane broke up so it sank pretty fast. It seemed if you had your wits about you, you realize that the thing is quickly full of water, so swim for that hole the water came in - swim toward the light. Survival was at 30%. I believe some were too panicked to think to even undo their seat-belt.

So, having tracked that example down, there is a list of 7 water landings from the last 50 years listed in my last link. Most do not sink immediately.

Answer 2

This is monumentally unlikely. If an airplane can no longer fly but can't land properly, it is actually safer to attempt a water landing then to crash on dry land... the pilot can glide it down onto the water, and if the plane is still upright, it is designed to float, so the passengers would have time to evacuate and get into the lifeboats.

In the super-unlikely event that the pilot lost absolutely all control and the plane dived straight into the water, the impact would break up the hull of the airplane, and the few survivors would have an open hole to swim out of, and would not be trapped like sardines in a can.

Besides, if the plane was still whole, there wouldn't be anywhere for the water to come in, so the people would suffocate, not drown. So your scenario is impossible no matter what happens. I think you've seen too many cartoons.

Answer 3

did you eat a bad taco last night or something?...that is some dream! but to answer your question, yes it is possible that an airplane can hit the water, not break up, and sink more or less intact with all passengers on board. the smaller the plane, the better the chances of this...remember jfk jr.?

Answer 4

yes, it probably could happen, but i think the windows would break and maybe some people would be able to survive.
Hope such a tragic never will happens though.

Answer 5

all this you say has happen