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I do most of my flying in Florida, low level, VFR, daytime. I'm always looking around for a suitable landing spot in event of engine failure. My ALON dead stick glide ratio makes getting to an airfield , except one right under me. doubtful. Many parts of Florida have extensive pastures and cultivated fields. I figure these would be as good as it gets, as long as I hold off touchdown until I am as slow as I can get, land parallel with the furrows, into the wind if possible, and try to avoid trees, fences and ditches. I'd open my canopy prior to touching down, slow to minimum control speed ( maybe less that 40 mph) while in ground effect, and hold the wheel in my lap at touchdown. My guess (hope) is that this might result in a walk-away-unhurt-from-an-undamaged-airplane?
However, other parts of Florida, particularly along the east and west coasts, offer few off -field landing sites, other than water. These would include the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and many, many large lakes and wide rivers and streams.
This (finally) brings me to the point: do any of you Coupers know of any references to ditching mishaps involving our Coupes? I'd particularly like to know what the probabilities are of flipping over inverted after touching down as described above, in calm water? Can you reference any applicable NTSB accident reports?
I will appreciate you not expanding the scope of my question to life jackets, shoulder harnesses, landing in tree tops, etc,. Thank you.
Don Bowen
"Every day is a gift"
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