IStock Photo 9327830 © Dan Barnes

Many people—1 in 5.56, or about 18%—find airplane travel to be a frightening experience even though the numbers are reassuring. It’s unlikely a passenger will be involved in an airplane crash of any kind, even one with no fatalities. The odds that an airline passenger will be involved in a plane crash in a year are 1 in 10,790,000. Even though the odds heavily favor a safe landing, 2009 has been marked by a series of aviation accidents that can unsettle even the most frequent flyer.

The first month brought the year's first major crash, US Airways Flight #1549 from New York City to Charlotte. This incident had such a lucky outcome it’s been dubbed the “Miracle on the Hudson.” After both engines failed following a bird strike, the pilot executed a perfect landing on the Hudson River; all passengers and crew were able to escape before the aircraft sank into the water. Other aviation accidents, however, have ended tragically. In February, Continental Connection/Colgan Air Flight #3407 crashed in Buffalo during a bad-weather landing, killing all 49 people on board and one person on the ground. An Indonesian Air Force military transport crash landed in May, skidding through four houses and a rice field before bursting into flames; 98 of the 112 people on board and two people on the ground died. The first day of June, Air France Flight #447 disappeared over the Atlantic while flying from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, taking 228 passengers and crew with it. On the last day of that month, Yemenia Airway Flight #626 crashed into the Indian Ocean while approaching Comoros, killing 152 people aboard; only a teenage girl from Yemen survived. And in July, Caspian Airlines Flight #7908 crashed several minutes after takeoff in Iran; all 168 aboard lost their lives

In an online survey with a self-selected sample, 1 in 1.43, or about 70%, of Internet users 18 years or older with a fear of flying reported that media reports of crashes contributed to the onset or intensification of their symptoms. Other people start to dread flying after a particularly rough flight. After all, there’s nothing like barreling through a thunderstorm strapped in an airplane seat to make you think twice about that upcoming flight to DFW. Of Internet users surveyed who find flying to be an anxiety-inducing experience, 1 in 2.63 reports that a bad experience on a plane contributed to the onset or intensification of their symptoms. For1 in 1.05 (95%), turbulence brings on the sweaty palms, and 1 in 1.11 (90%) dreads the takeoffs.

Happily, many jittery passengers find ways to soothe their nerves. Friendly cabin attendants have a calming effect on 1 in 1.22 (82%)—“they fly all the time and they’re still alive.” Seeing or talking to the pilot also helps 1 in 1.25 (80%)—“he looks experienced but not elderly.” Other anxious fliers turn to tranquilizers (1 in 1.3, 77%) or a distraction in the form of movies or music (1 in 1.39, 72%). No matter what the measure, 1 in 1.85 (54%) survey respondents 18 or over who fear flying report they still get on a plane when necessary. Staying grounded is not always an option.