From: "Marvin Kaye" <marv@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Re: [LML] ditch
To: lml
Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2002 11:06:05 -0500
Message-ID: <web-1886550@logan.com>
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Posted for "Bill & Sue" <harrelson@erols.com>:

    Hello Patrick,

    I've been reading a lot about ditching lately since we are planning on 
flying our 320 to England next June. Here is a web site that has a huge amount 
of information on the subject. http://www.equipped.com/ditchtoc.htm

    The best info seems to indicate gear up and flaps at a minimum setting for 
a low wing airplane. The advantage of gear down is that you probably will not 
"skip" and be out of control for the final splash. The disadvantages of gear 
down is the extremely abrupt  stop as well as a higher chance of wing damage 
with water entering the wells at 100 knots or so. Most of the advise is to try 
NOT to touch down as slowly as possible as this will cause the tail to hit 
first and slap the nose into very rapid contact with the water increasing the 
possibility of "submarineing". 

    The reason to use a minimum flap setting in a low wing airplane is that 
with full flaps,  the flaps will be the first to touch the water. Even at 
stall speed, this will put enormous loads on the flaps and they will probably 
separate. They will probably not separate at the same time and may not 
separate completely. This asymmetry would lead to either cartwheeling or at 
least broaching sideways, digging one wing in and inducing large side loads 
and rolling moments. 

    There are many successful ditchings to gather information from but none so 
far (that I know of) in a Lancair.  The statistics indicate that over 90% of 
ditchings (ditching under control, as opposed to uncontrolled crashes into the 
water) are initially successful. That is, the occupants escape the airplane 
alive and relatively unhurt. More people die from hypothermia or drowning once 
in the water than die in the ditching itself.

    Lets hope that you (or I) never need this info.

    Bill
    harrelson@erols.com
    N5ZQ  LNC2  O-320  VA42  Fredericksburg, VA