23-Year-Old Pilot Makes Smooth Emergency Ocean Landing Near Boca Raton
Florida beachgoers saw a tense scene unfold Saturday when a small plane made an emergency landing in the ocean near Boca Raton.
Faith Tenkley, 23, was flying from Fort Myers to the Bahamas to pick up her family. She was piloting a Piper PA30 series twin-engine propeller plane when trouble began near the coast.
Tenkley told Gulf Coast News that she has been a pilot for four years. About 15 miles west of Boca Raton, she began dealing with mechanical problems. Her first plan was to land at Boca Raton Airport.
That plan changed when she realized the landing gear had broken. The plane still carried a large amount of fuel, and Tenkley worried that a hard landing on the runway could spark a fire.
At the same time, the plane’s right engine had failed. With the aircraft facing multiple problems, Tenkley decided landing in the water was the safer option.
She still had to make several careful decisions. Tenkley said she maneuvered around buildings near the coast and paddleboarders in the water before finding an open stretch close to the beach.
The landing itself was smooth. A lifeguard reached Tenkley within about a minute, and a fire rescue boat arrived shortly afterward. The dramatic response unfolded in view of beachgoers gathered along the shoreline.
The report says Tenkley was the plane’s only occupant. Boca Raton police said she was transported to an area hospital as a precaution. The report does not provide further medical details.
Police, the Coast Guard and the Federal Aviation Administration were involved at the scene. Authorities also warned the public to stay away from the immediate area while the response continued.
“The sole occupant of the plane was transported to an area hospital as a precaution. The Boca Raton Police Marine Unit and the U.S. Coast Guard remain on scene while the FAA is en route. The public is asked to please not attempt to approach the immediate area.”
The Boca Raton Police Department shared an update as emergency crews remained on scene:
11:10 am: The sole occupant of the plane was transported to an area hospital as a precaution. The Boca Raton Police Marine Unit and the U.S. Coast Guard remain on scene while the FAA is en route. The public is asked to please not attempt to approach the immediate area. pic.twitter.com/9TKaJ448II
— Boca Raton Police (@BocaPolice) August 22, 2026
Tenkley was later comforted by a lifeguard following the rescue. What could have become a far more dangerous accident ended with the young pilot successfully getting the aircraft down in an open patch of water and receiving prompt assistance.