Where would you land?

He did say the engine died wouldn't restart, sorry I forgot to include that. I've thought about it since then and I'd try to find a young growth area (shorter trees and more flex plus you wouldn't be so far above the ground). If there was water around I'd go for it. Remember this was a SES ride.
Is this the distraction task of the ACS?
 
C seeing if he’d commit to an answer.

I’d tell him I’m not an arborist and I’d land where ever looked the most safe and prudent at the time.
 
I’d tell him I’m not an arborist and I’d land where ever looked the most safe and prudent at the time.

When I was involved with a lot of off-field landings (in gliders), knowing a bit about farming and cultivation practices really helped making safer landing decisions.

But trees are crap shoots....
 
That wasn't the question. Being on a SES checkride water would usually be the first choice and if the checkride was successful no ditching would occur. I think we can assume the instructor was making the OP think about his emergency options.
I was responding to a different comment, not to the OP
 
Night XC with an instructor years ago, in rather unforgiving terrain (NE PA/Poconos)

Me to him: So I know what to look for in daytime of the engine quits what would we do here?
Him: Fly high enough to reach an airport. If not aim for dark spots that shouldn't be a house or building that way. When you're close to what you think is the ground turn on the landing light. If you like what you see, land. If not, turn off the lights.
Me: Then what? Ooooooh nevermind.
 
WTF! The engine didn't quit! Why would you even think about trees? Just keep cruising to wherever you're going and land safely on a paved runway, one that sells popcorn in the FBO if you're really unfortunate.

Reminds me of interview I recently heard on NPR about the Chinese Education System iirc. She talked about a test done in Chinese class rooms were a number of students are asked to come to the front of the room and put a paper bag on their head. Then the students are asked to remove something they don’t needs. Most remove a piece of watch or piece of jewelers, maybe shoe. But almost no one removes the Bag. The same author asked some American teachers to perform the same test and the respond, are you kidding, I would have parents mad at me and likely lose my job:(. so she never got a comparison of Chinese students companies to American students.
 
My gut feeling is I'd rather be in hardwoods, but of course not by a huge margin. I've seen pictures of the fatal aftermath of a night impact into pine trees of a plane I flew in as an instructor with a student.
I think there are a LOT of variables, but I'd tend to think hardwood tree would more likely "catch" and slow the drop to the ground of a controlled just above stalling speed mush into the tops. Personally I'm more scared of the drop to the ground after the forward momentum is dissipated than the mush into the tops itself in most GA planes.
 
When I was involved with a lot of off-field landings (in gliders), knowing a bit about farming and cultivation practices really helped making safer landing decisions.

But trees are crap shoots....
Lol, just watched that video... thinking I may need to get a bi-annual for my plane soon (1:32). Can’t remember the last time I got that done.


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I once heard a riddle that went: "If a plane crashed on the border between Canada and the US, which side would the survivors be buried on." This thread reminds me of that.
 
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