Definition
Federal Aviation Regulations and certification standards that govern the structural design features of an airplane intended to protect occupants during a survivable crash. These include seat and restraint strength, fuel system integrity, cabin structural protection, and emergency egress provisions, with the level of protection required varying by aircraft category and certification basis.
Plain English
The rules that say how an airplane must be built so that the people inside have the best possible chance of surviving and getting out if it crashes.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft certification and design discussions, including multiengine airplane training material that explains how airplanes are built and approved to meet safety standards.
Derivation
From 'crashworthy,' built on the same pattern as 'seaworthy' or 'airworthy.' 'Worthy' means fit or able to withstand something — so 'crashworthy' means fit to withstand a crash. The term focuses on how well the airplane protects its occupants when an accident does occur.
Why Pilots Care
These requirements directly affect injury risk and the chance of post-crash fire in an otherwise survivable accident.
Intuition Check
Crashworthy does not mean crash-proof. It means designed to reduce injury and improve survival chances in an accident that people could live through.
Example Sentence 1
Newer multiengine airplanes are typically built to more demanding crashworthiness requirements than models certified decades earlier.
Example Sentence 2
Newer multiengine models incorporate updated crashworthiness requirements such as improved seat attachments and fuel shutoff systems.