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3w ago

Pilot Ditches Twin‑Engine Plane Off Boca Raton and Walks Away Uninjured

The FAA is leading an investigation after crews recovered the vintage Piper and removed engines and wings for inspection.

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Faith Tenkley, 23, was flying from Fort Myers to an airport in the Bahamas when she experienced engine trouble and broken landing gear. She safely made an emergency water landing off Boca Raton. Tenkley says she chose open water to avoid people and buildings. She escaped unharmed, and crews later used a crane to pull the plane from the water. (photo: Faith Tenkley)
Plane under water with boats and people surronding it

Overview

  • A small twin‑engine Piper made a controlled water landing roughly two miles east of Boca Raton Airport on Saturday morning after the pilot reported mechanical trouble.
  • The lone pilot, 23‑year‑old Faith Tenkley, said she diverted to the coast because the plane’s landing gear malfunctioned and the right engine failed while the aircraft still carried a large fuel load.
  • A lifeguard reached the pilot within about a minute and Boca Raton Ocean Rescue, fire rescue units and the U.S. Coast Guard responded; Tenkley was taken to a hospital as a precaution and suffered no injuries.
  • Recovery crews used a crane to lift the aircraft to Silver Palm Park, removed both engines and began disassembling the wings so the plane can be towed and examined.
  • The plane is a PA‑30/PA‑39‑series Piper registered to USOARFlorida LLC and investigators will review the aircraft’s mechanical and maintenance records to determine what failed and why.