A 23-year-old Florida pilot has described herself as “extremely lucky” after surviving a dramatic emergency landing in the Atlantic Ocean caused by a mechanical failure.
Faith Tenkley, a pilot with around four years of experience, was flying to the Bahamas last Saturday to pick up her parents when the aircraft developed serious problems. The plane’s right engine failed, while its landing gear also malfunctioned.
With the aircraft carrying a significant amount of fuel, Tenkley decided that attempting to land at Boca Raton Airport could create a greater risk of fire. Instead, she chose to bring the plane down in the ocean near the coast.
Speaking to WPTV, Tenkley said she was grateful to have survived and managed to swim back to shore following the crash.
A calculated decision
Tenkley said her priority during the emergency was to protect people on the ground.
Rather than heading toward the airport, she steered the aircraft toward open water, carefully avoiding nearby buildings, swimmers and paddleboarders. She said she was also mindful of people on the beach, including those using metal detectors.
She took off from Page Field Airport in Fort Myers shortly before 8:50 a.m. The emergency occurred less than an hour into the flight, when she was about 15 miles from Boca Raton.
Video from the area showed the aircraft descending toward the water while avoiding the populated shoreline.
Beachgoers stunned by the landing
People on the beach were shocked to see the small aircraft approaching at low altitude.
Witness Maria Marks told WPBF that she had been applying sunscreen to her child when she suddenly looked up and noticed the aircraft.
Another witness, Alex Bester, told WPLG that the plane was flying so low that he initially could not tell whether it would land on the sand or in the water.
He said Tenkley ultimately brought the aircraft down in relatively shallow water, describing the decision as a smart move.
Tenkley managed to swim safely to shore after the landing. Rescue crews later recovered the aircraft from the water.
Her quick decision-making during a rapidly developing emergency helped keep the aircraft away from the populated beach and may have prevented a potentially far more serious accident.
