When most people imagine surviving a plane crash, they picture adrenaline-fueled heroics and lucky escapes. The reality is more sobering: survival often depends less on heroics and more on avoiding deadly mistakes. In the chaos of an emergency, a single wrong decision can cost you your life. Here are 7 critical things you must never do if you want to walk away from a commercial airplane accident.

While commercial air travel is statistically one of the safest forms of transportation, accidents—though rare—do happen. Knowing how to react in the critical seconds before, during, and after an incident can mean the difference between life and death. Here’s exactly what you need to know if you ever find yourself in a worst-case scenario at 35,000 feet.