Anthropomorphic Test Device Response in Full-Scale Regional Jet Crash Tests

The Federal Aviation Administration has regulations designed to protect aircraft occupants in the event of a crash. Two drop tests of barrel sections and a full-scale test of a Fokker 28 (F-28) small regional jet airframe performed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration provided full-scale crash data on the performance of transport category aircraft seating systems. The crash pulse measured at the floor and the performance of the seats differed from the certification tests. To assess injuries, lumbar loads, neck loads, and head accelerations were collected for most anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs), and a range of occupants were included for comparison. Overall results were positive in that the seats were able to maintain their attachment to the aircraft with the ATDs measuring head accelerations that would be considered acceptable during certification testing; however, most had spinal loading above the lumbar load criteria. This testing demonstrated that seats dynamically qualified for lower impact severities (14 G) were able to maintain structural integrity but were not able to control injury risk in all seating configurations.