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.

During a high-impact plane crash, the human body is subjected to extreme G-forces (deceleration) that far exceed its structural limits. Upon impact, the body’s internal organs continue to move forward even as the skeleton is stopped by seatbelts or the aircraft frame, often leading to internal hemorrhaging or the tearing of major arteries like the aorta. At speeds typical of cruising altitude crashes, "total body fragmentation" can occur, where the force of the impact causes the body to disintegrate into thousands of pieces. If the crash involves fire, the body may experience severe charring or a "pugilistic attitude," where muscles contract into a defensive posture due to heat. Physiologically, if a crash is vertical, the spine can compress or even transect (snap), leading to instant loss of consciousness. While the forensic reality is grim, experts in 2026 emphasize that the sheer speed of these events usually ensures that death is near-instantaneous, occurring before the brain can even register the sensation of pain.