[chris]

A Boeing 727-200 nicknamed "Big Flo" was deliberately crashed at Laguna Salada near Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, on April 27, 2012, for a television experiment examining aircraft crash survivability.

The jet carried crash-test dummies, cameras and sensors. Capt. Jim Bob Slocum and the others aboard parachuted through the rear ventral airstair before impact, with Slocum leaving about three minutes before the crash. Chip Shanle then controlled the aircraft remotely from a chase plane. The Boeing struck the dry lake bed at about 140 mph while descending at roughly 1,500 feet per minute. Its cockpit and nose section tore away as the fuselage slid through a cloud of dust.

The experiment found that passengers in the front rows faced the greatest risk. Seats near the wings were associated with serious but potentially survivable injuries, while the tail section remained largely intact. Testing with the dummies also indicated that adopting the brace position could reduce head and spinal injuries.

[PTSD Is My Life]

Wow! The sheer cost of this test must have been phenomenal, but I suppose if you want to gather the info this is the only way.....that is apart from putting said dummies onto every single plane flying thus giving the passengers a somewhat unnerving flight!!

[thissmallfish]

It was a documentary on channel 4 over here. Was really fucking interesting!

[Karma]

Yep, watched that on tv a couple of weeks ago. The actual crash was pretty tame really. I expected Flo to break into lots of pieces and burst into flames. Still hasn't made me choose any particular part of a plane to sit in. It's all luck.

[Rfneimad]

They should have put two dummies in the bathroom.

[Arkoquisa]

very nice, but this was a highly controlled test. If this thing had been full of fuel, like the 911 plane that went down in rural Pennsylvania, there would have been nothing left. Jets are made from an aluminum/magnesium and with tens of thousands of gallons of jet fuel, nothing if left, that is why when a plane has a problem and needs to land right after take off they are forced to fly in circles until the fuel is burned off, it's too risky to land right away. Also the 727 is also a very old aircraft late 50's or early 60's it became commercially operational, can't quite remember (as a kid i was obsessed with the 727 purdy bird), but many airlines have done away with it. It would be nice to see more tests done but new aircraft are way too expensive to just crash, and with the fact aircraft are the safest form of transportation, it would not be the most necessary thing to do.

Also ever wonder why they fill up first class first and then front to back for coach? well the plane at the tarmac if loaded down with fuel and luggage making if very heavy in the back, if coach were to be let on first the plane would tip back and be stuck with its ass on the ground, and with that much fuel and combustible magnesium... that's an accident waiting to happen.

Any video of the test? being that is was done in Mexico, they should have just stuffed it full of cartel scum and flown it into the ground full of fuel to do a REAL test, but with a 727 being so small, only a hand full would be hurt. So lets get a fleet of disused 747-400's and pack em full of cartel cholos and nose dive them into the ground

[Sharon]

I watched this on TV, it was amazing!!