If a plane were to land on water would it float.?

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Flyboy

If the crew was able to sucessfully ditch the plane, it would float for some time. Although I don't know of any passenger jets being ditched, during WWII several B-29s ditched and floated for some time. One that ditched because it was out of fuel even washed up on a beach days later.

ukcufs

Maybe if you assume the wings, engines, and fuel in the wings were lost it may float. But the reason you have never heard of a plane on the water is because a crash landing on water would destroy the plane on impact. Water may look soft but at speeds its like hitting a brick wall. You'll know what I mean if you've ever 'bellyflopped' into a swimming pool from anything more than a metre or two. Thats why divers need a lot of practice and enter the water streamlined, hands and head first to cut through it.

Timothy B

If the pilots manage to make a perfect ditch, and the plane remains intact, than it should float long enough for everyone to safely exit. And yes, the emergency escape slodes can be used as rafts.
Reason you don'r hear about these stories, is that most of the time when an aircraft crashes in the water, it hapens at night during some sort of emergency that made it hard for the crew to manage to ake a water landing. Besides, how often do you even hear about planes having to make emergency landings off airport?

ZUS

Because of its heavy weight it would sink. Therefore you got less time to jump out on the slides.

dcgirl

The plane would sink, but how fast it sinks depends on how exactly the plane crashed and broke apart. I doubt you would see ALL the people survive from a crash like that--- the impact kills many people unless the plane is going very slowly--- but flotation devices can save lives. If it gives just one person a better chance of living, then it is worth it. Otherwise you're all just trapped and guaranteed to die.

sel_bos

It will float until the water pouring in.

apupi

If and when an aircraft is in imminent risk and forced to ditch, crews follow checklists that include fuel dumping and/or cargo if possible. The dumping of fuel helps ditching less abruptly, and the empty space in the fuel tanks create some buoyancy.
This does not mean that the aircraft will remain afloat all the time, the release or deployment of life rafts in a timely manner becomes a critical step for the safety of all beings inside the aircraft.

Michael P

The aircraft would float for a very short time (provided it is still in good shape). An ATR72 crashed into the water 2 yrs ago and floated enought time to get most of the people out, although sadly some lives were lost.

mistress_kelly17

it would sink along with the raft , that's why people have to hurry and get out. a plane wouldnt float

Broncosfan12

you would survive

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