Best place for a forced landing?

[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...