Make a forced landing in the sea or desert? (5)
I believe the answer is:
ditch
I believe this is a double definition.
'make a forced landing in the sea' is the first definition.
'desert?' is the second definition.
(ditching is a kind of deserting)
'or' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for ditch that I've seen before include "Excavated channel" , "Moat" , "side of field?" , "Dump; channel" , "long depression" .)