Passengers, please assume the crash position.
Just wondering:
You are flying along in your RV and oops! the engine throws a rod. You are over a river lined with tall trees on each side, and these and the water are your only choices for a landing spot.
Do you take the water or the trees?
Does taking the water guarantee a flip?
Does a flip in 3' of water guarantee a drowning?
I was taught, airport, road, field, then a coin toss on water or trees. If you choose the trees, aim between them so you can sheer the wings and leave the fuel behind.
Based on an earlier thread, you've got a reasonable range of 5 miles glide for 1 mile up. I liked the earlier post of land on the road beside the river. If I'm traveling someplace, I'm usually up 8-9K
I wonder, could you pick the water, hit the altitude hold on the A/P when about 10 feet off the ground. As the plane settles, it keeps trimming up to a stall, and bail out as it stalls?
Interesting article:
http://www.equipped.org/watertrees.htm
From that article:
The overall survival rate between the two appears to be about the same, but the injury rate is higher if you go for the trees.
FORCED LANDING CHECKLIST
To avoid landing downwind, especially in IMC, compare the GPS groundspeed to true airspeed. (You did calculate that, right?)
Compare GPS heading with compass/DG to find crosswind direction and strength.
The closest airport may be behind you.
Find an airport, field or deserted road if possible.
Seat belts as tight as you can stand.
Stow loose objects.
Once landing area is made, slow to minimum sink speed. It's close to maximum endurance speed and roughly 1.2 times clean stall speed.
Give accurate position report to ATC, including GPS coordinates if you can.
Flaps to full.
Landing gear is a toss-up. Make your best call.
Try to relax.
Electrics, fuel off and doors cracked open before impact.
Cushion face with pillow or folded jacket or blanket.