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Coast Guard Secures After Pilot’s Atlantic Water Landing

8/24/2026

42 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Pilot Tenkley Ditches

Pilot Faith Tenkley performed an emergency water landing in the Atlantic near Boca Raton.
The landing occurred at about 9:40 a.m. Saturday, roughly two miles east of Boca Raton Airport.
Loss of the right engine and broken landing gear left the fuel-laden Piper PA-30 largely intact.
A lifeguard reached the pilot within a minute.
The Coast Guard, police marine unit and FAA secured the site and will retrieve the aircraft.

Summary

FAA Dismantles

The FAA began dismantling the Piper PA-30 at Silver Palm Park after towing it from the ocean.
Boca Raton Recreation posted a Facebook notice urging visitors to allow extra time because of the aircraft removal.
Police warned motorists to avoid 250 South Ocean Boulevard while the plane occupied the nearby boat ramp.

History

Historical Context

In 1978 the FAA issued Advisory Circular 91-78, codifying ditch-in procedures for light aircraft after the 1975 Twin Comanche crash off Miami that required a Coast Guard rescue. The circular reflects the agency’s long-standing use of advisory circulars—non-regulatory guidance first expanded after the 1967 DOT reorganization—to quickly standardize safety practices for general aviation.

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Pilot Tenkley Ditches

Pilot Faith Tenkley performed an emergency water landing in the Atlantic near Boca Raton.
The landing occurred at about 9:40 a.m. Saturday, roughly two miles east of Boca Raton Airport.
Loss of the right engine and broken landing gear left the fuel-laden Piper PA-30 largely intact.
A lifeguard reached the pilot within a minute.
The Coast Guard, police marine unit and FAA secured the site and will retrieve the aircraft.

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