Commercial Jet Transport Crashworthiness

This report presents the results of a study to identify areas of research and approaches that may result in improved occupant survivability and crashworthiness of transport aircraft. This study was jointly sponsored by National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The thrust of the study is the definition of areas of structural crashworthiness for transport aircraft which might form the basis for a NASA/FAA Research Program. NASA and the FAA are planning a 10-year research and development program to improve the structural impact resistance of general aviation and commercial jet transport aircraft. As part of this program parallel studies have been conducted by The Lockheed California Company. The Douglas Aircraft Company, and The Boeing Commercial Airplane Company to review the accident experience of commercial transport aircraft, assess the accident performance of structural components and the status of impact resistance technology, and recommend areas of research and development for that 10-year plan. This report gives the results of the Boeing study.