WATCH! Small Twin-Engine Aircraft Crashes Into Atlantic Ocean Off Boca Raton Florida Coast; Pilot Rescued

A small twin-engine aircraft crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off Boca Raton, Florida, on Saturday morning after the pilot reported mechanical problems. The lone person aboard the plane survived the incident without injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution, authorities said.

The Piper PA-30 went down around 10:40 a.m., roughly two miles east of Boca Raton Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The aircraft had taken off from Page Field in Fort Myers and was bound for South Bimini Airport in the Bahamas.

Pilot forced to make emergency water landing

The pilot, identified as 23-year-old Faith Tenkley told Hearst sister station WBBH that she began experiencing mechanical problems while flying about 15 miles west of Boca Raton.

According to Tenkley, her initial plan was to divert to Boca Raton Airport and make an emergency landing. However, the situation became more difficult when the aircraft's landing gear malfunctioned.

She told local media that the plane still had a significant amount of fuel, and she feared that attempting to land on the runway could result in a hard impact and potentially trigger a fire.

The situation worsened when one of the aircraft's two engines failed. Tenkley then decided that landing in the ocean was the safer option.

'The landing in the ocean was smooth'

While approaching the coastline, Tenkley said she had to avoid buildings and people on paddleboards before finding a clear stretch of water near the beach.

She managed to bring the aircraft down in the ocean, describing the landing as smooth. A lifeguard reportedly reached her within about a minute, followed shortly by a Boca Raton Fire Rescue boat.

Boca Raton Ocean Rescue personnel removed the pilot from the aircraft. She was subsequently taken to a local hospital for precautionary evaluation.

Plane crashes near Boca Raton beach

The aircraft came down near the area of 250 S. Ocean Blvd., prompting police to ask people to stay away from the location while emergency crews responded.

The incident attracted a large crowd at South Beach Park, with several beachgoers watching the rescue operation.

Aircraft removed from ocean

For several hours after the crash, parts of the aircraft remained visible in the water. Later, only the plane's tail could be seen before the aircraft was towed away.

Authorities have not indicated any other injuries or casualties in connection with the crash. The FAA is expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the aircraft's mechanical failure and subsequent emergency landing.

Tenkley said she had been flying for about four years and was piloting her family's aircraft to the Bahamas to pick up her parents when the incident occurred.

Published on: Sunday, August 23, 2026, 03:17 PM IST