Why does a lot of pilots fear flying over water?

[FloridaPilot]

I noticed from previous forums how a lot of pilots fear flying over water. Why is that? Is it because your calculations have to be accurate? Or maybe the fear of an engine out? Inquiring minds want to know!


Thank You,

 

[Jim Logajan]

I don't remember where or when, but I read an article that looked at the NTSB record of land versus water landings. Forced water landings have a much higher surviving rate during the crash than do land landings. This makes sense as there aren't the power lines, buildings, rocks, and trees to ruin your day.

The other side of the coin, however, is that there is a much higher post-crash fatality rate in water landings. Drowning, unable to get out of the plane, or being knocked unconscious is common, as is drowning or hypothermia once out of the plane.

I've posted a link to this article (Ditching Myths Torpedoed by Paul Bertorelli) in the past but worth reposting:

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

Some selected quotes from the conclusion:Because ditching accident details are wanting, drawing incontrovertible conclusions from a review of accidents is tricky business. Still, one thing is certain: Landing an airplane in the water under control is a highly survivable experience that appears to take very little skill, experience, or preparation. Nine out of ten pilots who attempt it succeed, even when ditching in the ocean close to shore.
...How to avoid going into the water in the first place? Don't run out of gas and/or make sure the gas you have isn't fouled with water or other debris. At least a third of all ditchings are caused by fuel exhaustion, mismanagement, or contamination. These are, quite simply, absolutely avoidable.
Mechanical failures are listed as the cause in nearly as many ditchings--about 25 percent--as is fuel exhaustion, but we're skeptical of making too much of this. Many ditched aircraft aren't recovered, so investigators have to take the pilot's word for what happened. It's not that we don't trust pilots, but absent an examination of the air filled tanks, few are willing to admit running an airplane out of gas.
...
Last, if you take no other wisdom away from this examination of ditchings, know this: All things considered, when faced with landing on the water or impacting trees, rocks, or other rough surfaces, the water is more likely to be survivable. Where this might come into play is during an emergency landing where the choice may be between a crowdedbeachor a rough wooded area and an expanse of open water. This should be no contest; the water wins.

 

[Jim Logajan]

Thank you nice article but it is not relevant to the argument of whether landing a retractable gear plane in water should be done with gear up or down if you want to prevent flipping.

How often do retractable gear airplanes flip when they land gear-up on solid ground surfaces?