1 - The first airplane accident occurred in 1908, when Orville Wright was piloting a plane that crashed and killed passenger Lt. Thomas Selfridge.

2 - The deadliest airplane accident in history was the 1977 Tenerife airport disaster, which claimed 583 lives.

3 - Airplanes are designed to withstand lightning strikes, which occur on average once per year per airplane.

4 - Airplane crashes are more likely to occur during takeoff and landing than during cruising altitude.

5 - The vast majority of airplane accidents are caused by pilot error or mechanical failure.

6 - In the event of a water landing, airplane seats can be used as flotation devices.

7 - The FAA requires all passengers to keep their seat belts fastened while the plane is taxiing, taking off, and landing.

8 - The chances of dying in an airplane crash are about 1 in 11 million, making it one of the safest forms of transportation.

9 - Airplanes are required to have enough life vests and flotation devices for every passenger on board.

10 - In the event of a cabin depressurization, oxygen masks will automatically drop down from the ceiling for passengers to use.

11 - Flight data recorders, or "black boxes," are designed to survive extreme crashes and provide valuable information for accident investigators.

12 - In 2018, there were 160 airplane accidents worldwide, resulting in 534 deaths.

13 - The deadliest year for airplane accidents in history was 1972, with 2,373 deaths.

14 - The "Miracle on the Hudson" occurred in 2009, when US Airways Flight 1549 successfully landed on the Hudson River after striking a flock of birds.

15 - In the United States, the National Transportation Safety Board investigates airplane accidents.

16 - Some airports have wildlife management programs to prevent birds and other animals from interfering with airplane operations.

17 - In the event of a fire on board an airplane, flight attendants are trained to evacuate passengers within 90 seconds.

18 - The term "black box" is a misnomer, as flight data recorders are typically painted bright orange to aid in their recovery.

19 - The majority of airplane accidents occur during the takeoff and landing phases of flight.

20 - The Airbus A380, currently the world's largest passenger airplane, has a maximum takeoff weight of 1.2 million pounds.

21 - Some airlines have introduced "fatigue risk management systems" to help prevent pilot fatigue, a leading cause of airplane accidents.

22 - The Boeing 747, known as the "jumbo jet," was first introduced in 1969 and revolutionized air travel.

23 - Airplanes are equipped with a "black triangle" symbol to indicate where passengers should go in the event of an emergency.

24 - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires all commercial pilots to retire at age 65.

25 - In the event of an airplane crash, passengers seated in the rear of the plane are statistically more likely to survive.

26 - The first commercial airplane flight took place on January 1, 1914, between St. Petersburg and Tampa, Florida.

27 - Airplanes are required to carry enough fuel to reach an alternate airport in case of an emergency.

28 - The vast majority of airplane accidents occur during the descent and landing phase of flight.

29 - In 2019, the global aviation industry supported 87.7 million jobs and contributed $3.5 trillion to the world economy.

30 - The longest nonstop commercial airplane flight is currently the Singapore Airlines flight from Singapore to New York, which takes nearly 19 hours.