Injuries to the bones of the thorax are the most common injuries seen and occur in 80% of all accident victims. These injuries in turn cause trauma to the cardiovascular system. 47.6% of all accident victims had a ruptured heart and in 35% there was also a ruptured aorta.

In a high-impact plane crash, the human body is subjected to extreme physical forces that lead to massive blunt force trauma. Upon impact, the body's inertia causes internal organs (such as the liver, heart, and lungs) to collide with the rib cage or skeletal structure, often resulting in immediate fatal lacerations and hemorrhages. Multiple skeletal fractures are common, particularly in the pelvis, limbs, and skull, due to the rapid deceleration. In high-speed impacts, "extreme body disintegration" or fragmentation can occur, where the force exceeds the structural integrity of human tissue. If a post-crash fire occurs, bodies may suffer severe thermal damage or charring, which often complicates visual identification. Forensic pathologists use dental records, fingerprints, and DNA analysis to identify victims, as physical features are frequently unrecognizable. Despite the catastrophic appearance of such scenes, the sheer speed of deceleration usually means that the loss of consciousness and circulatory arrest happen in a fraction of a second, meaning death is almost instantaneous for those involved in high-velocity impacts.