Would you have said the same thing in this crash?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/13/world/middleeast/13libya.html
Jet Crashes in Libya; Boy Is Said to Be Sole Survivor
And it has happened with others.
The plane cartwheeled like Sioux City there were survivors in that crash to. All depends on where you are and where the plane breaks into sections if you escape the fire you could live.