NTL Record

Title Human survivability of extreme impacts in free-fall.
Record ID 39031
Personal Name
Creator
Snyder, Richard G.
Corporate Creator Civil Aeromedical Research Institute
Publisher Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
Publication Date 19630800
Language English
Abstract Human deceleration tolerances beyond the limits imposed by voluntary experimental methods were studied by means of intensive case histories of 137 individuals who have survived extremely abrupt impacts in accidental, suicidal, and homicidal free-falls. Fall distances ranged up to 275’ and calculated velocities up to 116 ft/sec (79 mph). Physical and biological data are presented on both sexes with an age range of 11/2 to 91 years, and with impacts occurring in all body axis orientations. A detailed analysis of factors found to affect survivability in free-fall impacts is made. These cases, out of some 12,000 free-falls collected in the past two years, demonstrate that humans have survived impact forces considerably greater then those previously believed tolerable.
Rosap ID dot:20857
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/20857
TRT Terms Case studies; Survival; Deceleration; Free fall; Air transportation crashes; Supersonic aircraft; Human beings; Force; Impact studies; Physiological tolerance; Crashes; Suicide; Homicide; Fatalities; Injuries; Injury types; Bone fractures; Magnitude; Velocity; Materials; Time duration; Physical condition; Mental condition; Age; Gender; Race; Weather conditions; Intoxication
General Subjects Falls (Accidents)--Case studies; Survival; Acceleration (Mechanics); Aircraft accidents; Supersonic planes; Human beings; Toleration; Accidents; Suicide; Homicide; Wounds and injuries; Fractures; Speed; Orientation; Materials; Time; Physical fitness; Mental health; Age; Sex; Race; Weather
Classification NTL - AVIATION - AVIATION;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Accidents;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Aviation Safety/Airworthiness;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Human Factors
Geographical
Coverage
United States
Report Number AM 63-15; DOT/FAA/AM-63/15
Resource type Tech Report
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/39000/39000/39031/AM63-15.pdf
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository