Slightly off the specific topic, but to widen the view a bit, here's a discussion about a GA pilot who declared neither a mayday nor an emergency and perhaps bent some metal because of it.
Happened two days ago about 15 miles from where I'm sitting (awaiting the passage of the Interpid's Supermarine Scimtar up the Hudson on a barge, in fact):
http://n631s.********.com/2012/04/li...permanent.html