A 23-year-old pilot made a controlled emergency landing of a twin-engine plane in the Atlantic Ocean off Boca Raton, Florida, on Saturday morning. The pilot, Faith Tenkley, was uninjured after the aircraft ditched in the water approximately two miles east of Boca Raton Airport around 9:40 a.m.
Tenkley was en route from Fort Myers to the Bahamas to pick up her parents when she encountered mechanical problems about 15 miles offshore. She initially planned to divert to Boca Raton Airport, but the aircraft's landing gear failed, presenting a new challenge. Fearing a runway landing without functional gear and with a significant amount of fuel onboard could lead to a fire, Tenkley made the decision to bring the plane down in the ocean.
The situation was further complicated when the right engine of the twin-engine Piper PA-30-series aircraft also failed. Tenkley, who has been flying for four years, maneuvered the plane around buildings as she approached the coastline, eventually spotting paddleboarders in the water. She guided the aircraft to a clear stretch of ocean near the beach.
Witnesses on the shore described seeing the plane descend toward the water. "One second I'm spraying sunscreen on my kid. The next I'm looking up and saying, 'Is that supposed to be happening?'" Maria Marks told WPBF.
The landing was described as smooth, and the plane remained intact. Tenkley was able to exit the aircraft unaided. Lifeguards and a fire rescue boat responded quickly to the scene. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the aircraft was a Piper PA-30-series twin-engine propeller plane. The FAA will investigate the incident.
Boat passengers Michael and Alexis Arizzi, who were among the first to spot the plane's descent, alerted the Coast Guard. "The plane was making a slow descent and delicately landed into the water," Alexis Arizzi said. Her husband, an aircraft mechanic, also noted the plane appeared intact upon landing.
The aircraft, registered to USOARFlorida LLC of Fort Myers, eventually sank lower into the ocean, with only its tail visible as preparations were made for its recovery.