'4x' I guess surviving can be possible in any craft. I have seen or heard over the years that what appears to be light damage at first glance glider pilot fatalities are often found to be from the fact that fiberlgass & the likes have little energy absorbing abilities therefore subjecting the body to sudden & almost instant stop forces that sever the main blood vessels to the heart & other vital organs. This is often the 'cause of death in such events. I feel that metal does have some cushioning qualities (obviously not if it's at high speed) not unlike water has when entered from a survivable height. That's why some cars are designed with crush zones to assisit the occupants in a sudden stop event. That crush zone although does consist of some plastics etc. has metal to take the main impact & not fiberlgass as in today's modern 'toy' planes. Still it's open to conjecture no doubt but it's what I believe to be true to some degree.
Tnxs to all those that put forward pro's & cons towards owning a plane, the jury is out at the moment as to whether I want to become poorer sooner !
CW