A 23-year-old pilot who walked away without injury after bringing her plane down in the Atlantic Ocean is now describing the frightening moments that led to the emergency landing.
Faith Tenkley was piloting her family’s aircraft from Fort Myers to the Bahamas on Saturday to pick up her parents when mechanical trouble forced her into a fast, high-stakes decision: attempt a risky diversion to Boca Raton Airport or ditch the plane in the ocean.
Roughly 15 miles west of Boca Raton, Tenkley told Gulf Coast News that the aircraft began showing signs of mechanical failure, turning what had started as a routine flight into a midair emergency.
At first, she planned to reroute to the Florida airport and make an emergency landing. But as she weighed that option, another serious issue surfaced: Tenkley said the landing gear had failed.
Because the plane was still carrying a significant amount of fuel, Tenkley worried that trying to land on a runway without working gear could cause a violent impact and possibly ignite a fire.
The situation became even more urgent when, according to Tenkley, the right engine on the twin-engine aircraft also stopped working, leaving her with few safe choices.
Instead of pushing toward the airport, she made the call to aim for the water.
Tenkley was able to locate an open stretch of ocean near the shoreline and carefully guide the disabled aircraft down into the Atlantic.
A twin-engine Piper came down in the Atlantic around two miles east of Boca Raton Airport at around 9:40am on Saturday morning
The plane was being piloted by Faith Tenkley, 23. She was flying to pick up her parents in the Bahamas when she started having mechanical issues with her aircraft
Against the odds, the landing was smooth and the plane remained intact as Tenkley managed to get out of the plane unaided and without injuries.
A lifeguard reached her within about a minute, she said, with a fire rescue boat arriving close behind.
The extraordinary sequence unfolded in front of shocked beachgoers in affluent Boca Raton, where families had been enjoying their morning when they suddenly found themselves watching the small plane descend toward the sea.
‘It was a flawless water landing,’ witness Michael Arizzi told WPBF.
His wife Alexis added, ‘Yeah, she was in control the entire time. I was very impressed. That’s why we were confused about what was going on at first.’
Tenkley, who has been flying since graduating high school, said in a statement on Sunday that she felt ‘incredibly fortunate’ to walk away unharmed.
‘I am incredibly fortunate and relieved to share that I was able to swim away from this incident,’ she said. ‘After deciding a landing at Boca Raton Airport was not the safest option I continued to the coast.’
The 23-year-old said her ‘primary focus’ was keeping everyone safe as she steered toward open water, successfully avoiding nearby buildings and swimmers.
The young pilot ultimately managed to find a clear stretch of ocean alongside the beach and guided the stricken aircraft toward the water
The plane made a controlled descent into the water and remained intact close to the shoreline
As the hours passed the aircraft sank lower into the ocean until only its tail could be seen sticking above the water as preparations were made to haul it out of the sea
Join the discussion
Should pilots be praised for risky crash landings or questioned for their decisions in emergencies?
‘I want to express my deepest gratitude for the concern and support following my unexpected water landing yesterday,’ Tenkley said.
‘I want to extend my thanks to ATC [air traffic control] for being prepared, as well as the lifeguards, firefighters, and police officers whose rapid response and professionalism ensured everyone’s safety. As well as any witnesses who called for help.’
The twin-engine Piper went into the sea around two miles east of Boca Raton Airport at around 9:40am triggering an emergency response from police, lifeguards and the US Coast Guard.
The FAA will be investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The aircraft involved belongs to a family of twin-engine planes manufactured by Piper Aircraft decades ago.
Piper PA-30-series aircraft were produced between 1961 and 1972 and were configured to carry either four or six people.
