I know the SAS MD80 accident was a dead-stick but can't recall the details. The DC9 in Florida was dual engine damage if I recall - not much to be done there except the usual caution regarding staying away from thunderstorms. Other than the present incident and the Pinnacle RJ which suffered core-lock after the engines flamed out at 410, (crew messing with the airplane on a non-rev flight - both killed), what other dual engine failures have we seen?
I don't mean to be pedanic here and only hope to continue contributing possible facts for whatever discussion points folks want to make.
The DC9 you mention I suspect was SO242 in Georgia and it could have been landed if the crew had known about the closest airstrip.
Then there was the Avanca B707 near JFK .that almost landed except for rising terrain and trees.
There was The Ethiopian B737 in Bar har dar. That was landed in a swamp off airport but caught a ditch on the skid out.
The SAS MD80 was pretty much a controled landing save for some tree tops, at least they missed the large rock in the field.
The Tacca B737 on a levey
And the Austrian F100 in a snow covered field.
I have no message myself, so pick and choose from these survivable accidents yourselves to make a point.
None of the above were ETOPs operations and engine reliability had nothing to do with them. They all involved being overwhelmed with common cause problems , birds, rain-hail-ice, or fuel starvation.