NHTSA Complaint #10191761 — 1993 FORD ESCORT

AS BRIEFLY AND SUCCINTLY AS I CAN; MY FATHER WAS DRIVING A 1993 FORD ESCORT STATION WAGON ON ONE OF THE LAST DAYS OF WINTER WHEN HE APPARENTLY HIT A PATCH OF BLACK ICE. HE DID GO LEFT OF CENTER AND WAS HIT BY AN ONCOMING VEHICLE (EACH VEHICLE @ 35MPH). MY QUESTION INVOLVES THE SIDE IMPACT CAPABILITY OF THIS MODEL - THE IMPACT WAS AS CLOSE TO BEING RIGHT ON THE "B'" PILLAR AS POSSIBLE AND THIS THING JUST FOLDED IN HALF. THE ROOF FOLDED, THE FLOOR BUCKLED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS TOUCHING THE STEERING WHEEL. AT THIS POINT, I NEED TO EMPHASIZE THIS CAR WAS NOT A BUCKET OF RUST - HE BOUGHT IT USED BECAUSE OF THE LOW MILES AND GREAT CONDITION (MY FATHER, THE ETERNAL BARGAIN HUNTER). ALTHOUGH I'VE LOST MY FATHER TO THIS ACCIDENT, I AM CURIOUS IF THIS WAS AN ANOMOLY OR ARE THESE STATION WAGONS NOTED FOR THIS COLLAPSING FEATURE? IF THIS HASN'T BEEN NOTED BEFORE, I WILL PRESUME THIS WAS A "ONE OF" EVENT, BUT IF THERE ARE OTHERS THAT HAVE EXHIBITED THE SAME FAILURE MODE, I WOULD SAY THERE IS A PROBLEM. AS A SIDE NOTE, I HAVE SEEN WHERE THIS YEAR AND SEVERAL AFTER IT WEREN'T TESTED FOR SIDE IMPACT. ANY INFORMATION YOU MAY HAVE TO SHARE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANKS, TOM DAVIS