If you happen to fall out of an airplane [View all]

[cthulu2016]

If you happen to fall out of an airplane a half mile up without a parachute you're in trouble, but in a slightly better situation than if you fell out a twenty story window.

Yes, you will probably die, but people do sometimes survive falling out of planes.

Because of air resistance, a person falling from a tall building or from a plane will be going the same speed when they hit the ground. The terminal velocity of a human being is only about 125 MPH, and you can slow that some by being as non-aerodynamic as possible. Arms and legs out. Hold your shirt or jacket like the "wing" membranes of a flying squirrel.

You'll have a surprisingly long time to think about it. Try to steer yourself toward a hay stack or plowed field or giant marshmallow, if available. (Falling from a skyscraper means you're probably headed for concrete and have less time to control what little you can control.)

Water is not a good idea because 1) water is less compressible than, say, hay or marshmallows (that's why depth charges work so well), and 2) even if you get down to 90 MPH you are still going to be knocked out wherever you land so water isn't the best spot.

Now here's the nasty part... I don't know if I could do this, but it's the correct advice. Before you hit, lock your legs and land feet first. Much like "crumple zones" in cars, breaking your legs absorbs a surprising amount of energy, and steers that energy away from your spine. Ewwww. I would probably not do it, but that's what hang-gliders are taught to do if their wings fold up.

Granted, you are very, very likely to die and almost certain to suffer some serious injuries falling from a plane... but if you happen to be one of the fluke survivors you'll certainly have a story to tell.