Best place for a forced landing?

[JAFI]

Remember in ditching you have the added chance to drown compared to a off airport landing on dry land. Also, With fixed gear, the aircraft will most likely flip on impact with the water. Best chance (according to the NASA study) is a flat (shallow angle with the ground), slow (just above a stall)speed, and slow reduction in airspeed (don't hit anything big to make you stop quick). In a single engine a/c wings level, in a twin, gear up with one wing low a couple of degrees with the idea that the low engine will disapate some of the forward energy. Again according to the mid 70's NASA study.

JAFI

 

[Launchpad]

At first I couldn't load the pic, but now I can see it. There are tons of places to put down in that pic... Kinda depends on the aircraft I guess, but you can't drown in dirt so that's something to consider.

I think most ditchings the concern is getting knocked out by the dash board (If you survive the impact) and getting out of a bent airplane.

Either way, crack the door before you hit.

Good luck if you try it!

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Planes don't always flip when they hit the water.

A bunch of years ago, some private pilot in a PA28 lost his engine over the Hudson River with a chick on board. He ended up landing on the water alongside a pier and they both walked onto the wing and pier - dry and without injuries.

 

[ksu_aviator]

Somebody by that boy a beer!

 

[JAFI]

Amish, let's re-read what I said:

... With fixed gear, the aircraft will most likely flip on impact with the water.

JAFI

I agree with you, not all aircraft will flip at water impact. IMHO a low wing aircraft has less a chance of flipping upon water impact than a high wing. I would guess it may have to do with the center of gravity being higher on a high wing than a low wing, but that is my guess. Also less of a chance if you stall the aircraft just above the water than if you "drive" it into the water.

Either aircraft, if you are injured at impact you may not be able to swim that far, so you have a greater chance of drowning.

JAFI

 

[avbug]

You may not end up inverted and sunk...but plan on it anyway. If you don't, gravy...but never plan on an intact upright water landing. Be prepared to find your way out by braille.

 

[apcooper]

The myths of ditching

Read this article. It discusses the many myths of ditching that are floating around (no pun intended.)


http://www.equipped.com/ditchingmyths.htm

 

[JAFI]

From the above link:

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Myth 6: High Wing Airplanes Almost Always Flip Over During Ditchings

See Myth 5. The accident record simply doesn't support this impression. In the 179 accidents we reviewed, only one mentioned flipping over on impact. It was a high wing, fixed-gear single (a Cessna 172). But at least 60 other high wing airplanes ditched and none of the pilots reported flipping over.
Is it possible that many of the high wing airplanes flipped and the pilots were just too pumped up to notice in their hurry to exit the airplane? Sure, it's possible. After all, the accident narratives are often too sketchy to draw definitive conclusions.
But again, even if every high wing airplane flipped over on impact or cartwheeled end-over-end across the water--highly unlikely, by the way--the occupants still managed to egress successfully. That doesn't argue for complacency in attempting the smoothest, slowest speed water touchdown you can manage but it strongly suggests that worrying about a flip-over is a misplaced concern.

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Interesting read.

JAFI

 

[avbug]

Irrelevant...plan on it. It may not happen, but always, ALWAYS plan for the worse-case scenario.

 

[navigator72]

My belief is that if you opt for the water, the emergency isn't over. What if the plane flips (very likely) and you become unconscious? You might just drown. I used to fly along the coast of Maine over some very rocky coastal terrain with no beaches, just trees and water and thought about it often...