Statistically the 747 is 6x safer than the DC10, and its figures are distorted by the Canary islands collision that had nothing to do with airworthiness. http:

Statistically the 747 is 6x safer than the DC10, and its figures are distorted by the Canary islands collision that had nothing to do with airworthiness. http://www.fearofflying.com/resources/safest-airliners-and-airline-safety.shtml http://www.fearofflying.com/resources/safest-airliners-and-a... That said, today both planes are (literally) perfectly safe. The DC-10s problems all stemmed from a bad cargo door latch design combined with insufficient redundancy in its hydraulics.