Being inside a plane as it goes down and crashes is a harrowing experience, one best understood through the testimonies of those who have survived. Passengers, crew, pilots, and even bystanders on the ground are often caught unaware, and the decisions they make in the few precious seconds before and after a crash can mean the difference between life and death-not only for themselves but for others around them.

The most spectacular crashes involve violent collisions in midair or sudden plunges from high altitudes to the earth, from which there are typically few or no survivors. Such crashes receive the greatest publicity, but they occur relatively infrequently. The vast majority of airplane crashes happen on or near the ground, and are survivable for at least some of the passengers and crew. Even so the experience is terrifying and unforgettable, something that will stay with them throughout...