...in next month's American Hunter magazine. Interesting stories, though I have to say something about the first one. A pilot takes two friends up on a "crystal-clear day with winds less than 5 knots". Flying over Lake Powell, in Utah, they "decided to fly closer to the water, under the canyon walls, which is a fabulous sightseeing experience." The water had a slight ripple, which gave him (the pilot) his depth perception. But then the water smoothed out, he loses his depth perception, and flies into the water. All three are unhurt and bail out of the sinking bird, a Cirrus SR22. They start for shore (the author said it was about 3/4s of a mile in water later found to be 44 degrees), and one of them a non-swimmer. Then my favorite line: "Thank goodness the water was calm. What irony - the thing that caused the crash was now actually working in our favor." Smooth water caused the crash?? (Hmmm, if 'the water' is that dangerous, maybe that lake should be drained.). They all make it to shore and spend an uncomfortable night out.
All in all, I'm thinking:
1) Flying too close to the water to begin with.
2) No PFDs or flotation of any kind.
3) No survival gear.
4) No PLB.
And 5) IMHO, being old enough to know better.
Lucking, they all "lived to see another day."