Full Breakdown
Pilot Executes Flawless Water Landing After Twin-Engine Plane Loses Engine and Gear Off Boca Raton
8/24/2026, 12:34:05 AM
Incident Overview
On Saturday morning a Piper PA30 twin-engine propeller aircraft departed Page Field in Fort Myers for South Bimini Airport in the Bahamas. While cruising about 15 mi west of Boca Raton, the pilot reported a right-engine failure and landing-gear collapse, declared an emergency, and was cleared to land at Boca Raton Airport. She ditched the plane in the Atlantic roughly two miles east of the airport near 250 South Ocean Boulevard. The sole occupant, 23-year-old pilot Faith Tenkley, exited uninjured and was taken to a hospital as a precaution.
Aircraft and Flight Details
- Aircraft: Piper PA30 series (model PA-39), registered to USOARFlorida LLC, Fort Myers.
- Occupants: One pilot, Faith Tenkley.
- Flight plan: Fort Myers -> South Bimini Airport, 144 nm.
- Failure sequence (pilot’s account): landing-gear malfunction followed by right-engine failure with a full fuel load.
Pilot’s Account and Decision-Making
Tenkley, with four years of flight experience, said she initially considered diverting to Boca Raton Airport but judged a runway landing too risky because of the fuel on board. After the gear broke and the engine stopped, she elected to “land in the water” where lifeguards and rescue boats were nearby. She described the water landing as “smooth” and noted she had to maneuver around beachfront structures and paddleboarders before finding an open stretch.
Emergency Response
Boca Raton Ocean Rescue and Boca Raton Fire Rescue arrived within a minute of the ditching. A lifeguard helped the pilot onto the beach, and a fire-rescue boat followed. Boca Raton Police and the U.S. Coast Guard secured the crash site, while the FAA took over the investigation. The aircraft remained in the water until it was recovered the following day.
Witness Observations
Beachgoers and boaters captured the event on video. One snorkeler, Brett Goorland, recalled seeing the plane “about 10 feet over” a school of snook before it descended. Michael Arizzi called the landing “flawless.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exact time of the ditching: some place it at about 9:40 a.m., others at 10:25 a.m. or 10:40 a.m. The location is consistently described as near 250 South Ocean Boulevard, about two miles east of the airport. No definitive cause for the mechanical failure has been released; the FAA’s investigation is ongoing.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I was there when it happened,” — Maria Marks
- “We looked down there was a school of snook, looked up, a plane came over us about 10 feet over us,” — Brett Goorland
- “It was a flawless water landing,” — Michael Arizzi
Investigation and Next Steps
The FAA is leading a formal investigation and, as of Sunday, was disassembling the wreckage at the Silver Palm Boat Ramp. The U.S. Coast Guard plans to retrieve the aircraft remains. Authorities have asked the public to avoid the crash area until cleanup is complete. No further flights are expected to use the affected airspace until the investigation concludes.
