How often do plane stowaways fall from the sky?

[icarus]

Interesting article.Sure doesn't sound like it would be fun. Also doesn't sound like many are successful although you kind of wonder how many have done it successfully AND undetected.

Police are investigating whether a man found dead on a west London street was a stowaway who fell from a plane. Just how often does this happen?

[...]

Dangerous journey
Since records began in 1947, 96 wheel well stowaways are thought to have attempted to board 85 flights

73 of those stowaways died and 23 survived

Two fatal cases in 2012 to date

First on August flight from Cape Town to Heathrow

And a September flight thought to have been from an African airport to Heathrow - suspected stowaway's body found in Mortlake, south-west London

Youngest recorded survivor aged nine

One person is known to have survived cruising altitude of 39,000ft

[Northendzone]

meh, i'd rather just fly gangnam style......

[burn_this_city]

With the increased security these days I can't see how a dazed, half frozen person would get off the plane and make their way inside without being seen and questioned.

[Ryan Coke]

I can't imagine many of the survivors stowed on modern jets. Surviving an extended time at 35000-41000 feet, and temperatures of between -50 to -60 C would be nearly impossible. On top of that a good chance of being crushed as the gear retracts.

[polak]

I can't believe it happend twice already this year... Seems like a great way to get a bomb on an airplane...

[Ozy_Flame]

I'm stunned that 1/4 of people survive the flight.

You're either insane or your life must really suck if you're willing to do that.

[Northendzone]

these stowaways miss out on collecting frequent flyer miles.

[Nufy]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

these stowaways miss out on collecting frequent flyer miles.

Yeah, but they don't have to pay the Airport Improvement Fee or fuel surcharges...

[Jackpot_Smooth]

Originally Posted by Nufy

Yeah, but they don't have to pay the Airport Improvement Fee or fuel surcharges...

And they can keep their headphones on before and after the flight if they want to. stowaway means freedom.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

I can't imagine many of the survivors stowed on modern jets. Surviving an extended time at 35000-41000 feet, and temperatures of between -50 to -60 C would be nearly impossible. On top of that a good chance of being crushed as the gear retracts.

Good time to ask that question- have domestic Canadian flights always flown that high? I could have swore that in the late 80s and early 90s on flights between Winnipeg and Calgary they announced our cruising altitude as ~25,000 feet. And yes, that would have been on a 737 or similar DC jet; not some turbo prop plane.

Not saying I would want to breathe the air at 25,000 feet- just that I could see that being a lot more survivable than 35,000 feet.

[Inglewood Jack]

so looks like the death line is around 23,000ft (for imperialists out there). even a relatively short flight from what I've experienced tends to go significantly above that, nevermind the sub-antarctic temperatures. do 1/4th of all stowaways have the latest mountaineering gear and training, and are lugging a giant oxygen tank?

there must be something a bit different about that landing gear space, compared to the conditions outside the plane. maybe it's slightly more pressurized somehow?

[Ryan Coke]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Good time to ask that question- have domestic Canadian flights always flown that high? I could have swore that in the late 80s and early 90s on flights between Winnipeg and Calgary they announced our cruising altitude as ~25,000 feet. And yes, that would have been on a 737 or similar DC jet; not some turbo prop plane.

A DC-9 or 737-200 would've been in the 30-35000' range still, so I can't see why you would be at 25000' on a flight of that length. Newer Jets like the 737NG will tend to be a bit higher, like 37000-41000, due to better engine and wing performance, and being higher results in better fuel efficiency.

Originally Posted by Inglewood Jack

so looks like the death line is around 23,000ft (for imperialists out there). even a relatively short flight from what I've experienced tends to go significantly above that, nevermind the sub-antarctic temperatures. do 1/4th of all stowaways have the latest mountaineering gear and training, and are lugging a giant oxygen tank?

there must be something a bit different about that landing gear space, compared to the conditions outside the plane. maybe it's slightly more pressurized somehow?

Nothing different from a pressurization perspective. I could see maybe if you found a spot by a hydraulic pump or lines that might give you a bit of heat, but I would be surprised if it could do much to avoid hypothermia and death.

That is why I am curious about the numbers, and how many of the survivors have occurred on modern type jets.The combination of altitude and temperature in the high 30000's would make survival pretty remarkable.