A 23-year-old pilot drew stunned reactions from beachgoers in Florida after deliberately bringing her twin-engine aircraft down in the Atlantic Ocean near a crowded shoreline — then walking away apparently unharmed.
Faith Tenkley managed to steer clear of buildings and people before ditching the small plane in the water off Boca Raton on Saturday, telling Gulf Coast Now that a landing gear failure forced her into the emergency maneuver.
Tenkley said she was flying alone in her family’s plane from Fort Myers to the Bahamas, where she planned to pick up her parents, when mechanical trouble began about 15 miles off Boca Raton.
The young but experienced pilot first considered an emergency landing at Boca Raton, but when she realized the landing gear was not functioning, she feared the recently refueled plane could ignite if it hit the runway too hard.
With the right engine of the twin-engine aircraft also out, Tenkley made the decision to put the plane down in the ocean instead.
Video posted on X captured the tense moments as Tenkley guided the aircraft past buildings and paddleboarders before aiming for a clear patch of water just off the beach.
A lifeguard got to the plane within a minute, with a fire rescue boat from Boca Raton Ocean Rescue close behind.
No injuries were reported, but Tenkley was taken to a local hospital as a precaution, Boca Raton police said.
