A young Florida pilot successfully performed an emergency landing in the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday after experiencing engine failure and a landing gear malfunction. Faith Tenkley, 23, was flying a Piper PA-39 twin-engine plane solo from Fort Myers to Bimini, Bahamas, to pick up her parents when the aircraft encountered trouble.
Tenkley was approximately 15 miles off the coast of Boca Raton when the issues arose, less than an hour after departing Fort Myers. She stated that after determining a landing at Boca Raton Airport was not feasible, she focused on ensuring the safety of those around her.
"During the descent my primary focus was ensuring the safety of everyone around me. I was able to navigate toward open water, successfully avoiding all nearby buildings, paddleboarders, and swimmers (as well as individuals using metal detectors)," Tenkley said in a statement. Witnesses on the beach described seeing the plane descend toward the water, with some noting the intelligence of aiming for shallower areas.
Tenkley's father, Chad, who also holds a pilot's license and owns the Fort Myers-based aviation company usoarflorida LLC, confirmed the plane belonged to his firm. He expressed pride in his daughter's actions. "I have my pilot’s license also and she flies commercially. I’m really proud of her," he said.
Tenkley, who has held her pilot's license for four years, described herself as "incredibly fortunate" to have survived the incident without injury. Following the landing, crews removed the plane from the ocean. Her parents, who were en route to meet her, were able to fly to Miami and then meet their daughter.