General Guidelines 

Preparation is the key to surviving an airplane crash. Carry some basic gear such as a knife, warm clothing, signaling devices and fire starting equipment. Wear a survival vest—survival gear in the back of an airplane is “camping gear.”

Always file a flight plan when leaving the vicinity of the local airport and take advantage of flight following services when available. Flight following alone does not provide sufficient assurance of rescue in the event of an accident, however. At times, radio contact and radar coverage will be lost and the previous controller will not assume that an accident occurred if communication is lost. No one will be alerted if you do not arrive on time at your destination.