national
Pilot Executes Emergency Water Landing Off Boca Raton Beach After Engine Failure
Just the facts
Faith Tenkley was piloting a twin-engine Piper aircraft from Page Field in Fort Myers toward Bimini in the Bahamas when the plane suffered a right engine failure and a landing gear malfunction. Tenkley navigated the descending aircraft away from coastal buildings and crowded beaches before executing a water landing in the Atlantic Ocean near Boca Raton, Florida. Lifeguards and a Boca Raton Ocean Rescue fire boat responded within one minute to assist Tenkley, who was the sole occupant aboard the aircraft. Tenkley took off her outer skirt and swam safely to shore, where emergency medical services evaluated her and transported her to a nearby hospital as a precaution. Local law enforcement confirmed no injuries occurred, and federal aviation authorities opened an inquiry into the forced landing.
Why this is news
Twenty-three-year-old pilot Faith Tenkley safely ditched a twin-engine Piper aircraft into the Atlantic Ocean near Boca Raton, Florida, on August 22, 2026, after experiencing dual mechanical failures. Beachgoers and ocean rescue personnel assisted her as she swam to shore without sustaining injuries.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.