Thirty minutes out, the engine quits over pine forest with no runway in reach
Saturday afternoon, March 16, 2024. You depart St. Simons Island for Dublin. Clear skies, 10 miles, light wind, 77°F. Takeoff, climb, and initial cruise are all normal.
About 30 minutes in, without warning, the engine makes a loud noise and stops making power. Oil sprays across the windscreen.
You pitch for best glide and declare an emergency. You turn left toward a diversion airport about 10 nm away — then realize the airplane won't reach it. Below is unbroken, hilly pine forest with no place to land.
No runway in reach, only trees below. What do you do with the altitude you have left?