Genghis - I am a bit confused out of interest why the flight was IFR in Jersey zone and indeed whether it was in IMC conditions. IMC is not permitted in a homebuilt, albeit maybe they were caught out by the weather. I am also not sure what difference being IFR and IMC over the sea makes on a single engine compared with VMC - in either situation there is only one way down and the surface is likely to be damp and at or about sea level with not to many obstacles in the way - always presupposing the cloud base is reasonable to set up into wind or across swell. In this case thank God everyone was OK and that Sark was in the right place.
[ 19 October 2001: Message edited by: Fuji Abound ]