BOCA RATON, FLORIDA — "During the descent my primary focus was ensuring the safety of everyone around me," Tenkley said. She avoided buildings, paddleboarders, and swimmers during the descent. "I was able to navigate toward open water, successfully avoiding all nearby buildings, paddleboarders, and swimmers (as well as individuals using metal detectors)."

Beachgoers witnessed the low-flying aircraft. "One second I’m spraying sunscreen on my kid. The next I’m looking up and saying, ‘Is that supposed to be happening?’" beachgoer Maria Marks said. Alex Bester stated he initially did not know if the plane would land on sand or water after it came in low.

"They went for the shallow water which I think is kinda smart," Bester said. Craig Sutton captured video of the plane entering the water near South Beach Park. Robert Taplinger stated the plane appeared totally intact immediately after the crash.

Only the tail of the aircraft remained visible above water hours after the crash before it was towed. Crews removed the aircraft from the water on Sunday morning. The aircraft was taken to Silver Palm Park in Boca Raton for disassembly. The Piper PA30 aircraft was manufactured between 1961 and 1972.

Tenkley was taken to a local hospital as a precaution and sustained no injuries. The U.S. Coast Guard and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the incident.

Why It Matters

The incident shows the risks associated with aging aircraft, as the Piper PA30 model was manufactured between 1961 and 1972. The successful ditching without injury to the pilot or those on the beach demonstrates the effectiveness of emergency protocols and pilot training in avoiding catastrophic outcomes in populated coastal areas.

The ongoing investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard and Federal Aviation Administration will determine the cause of the mechanical failure. This event reflects the importance of maintenance and emergency decision-making for general aviation flights operating over water near densely populated regions.

Timeline

On January 17, 2026, Faith Tenkley declared an emergency and was cleared to land at Boca Raton Airport. Faith Tenkley decided against landing at Boca Raton Airport due to concerns that a hard landing with a full fuel load could cause a fire. "After deciding a landing at Boca Raton Airport was not the safest option I continued to the coast," Tenkley said.

The next I’m looking up and saying, ‘Is that supposed to be happening?’" Marks said. Faith Tenkley ditched her Piper PA30 propeller plane in the Atlantic Ocean about two miles east of Boca Raton Airport around 10:40 a.m.

What's New

Additional reporting confirms that Faith Tenkley was flying alone on the aircraft. The flight was headed to South Bimini Airport in the Bahamas.

The Federal Aviation Administration stated the Piper PA30 series plane went into the water around 9:40 a.m. Boca Raton Ocean Rescue personnel extracted Faith Tenkley from the aircraft. Faith Tenkley was taken to a local hospital as a precaution and sustained no injuries.

How Sources Differ

Sources differ on the timing and location details of the incident. The Federal Aviation Administration statement says Faith Tenkley ditched her Piper PA30 propeller plane in the Atlantic Ocean about two miles east of Boca Raton Airport around 10:40 a.m. The Boca Raton Airport Authority statement says Faith Tenkley declared an emergency and was cleared to land at Boca Raton Airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration statement places the ditching about two miles east of Boca Raton Airport around 10:40 a.m. The Faith Tenkley statement to WPTV says Faith Tenkley experienced mechanical failure of the right engine and broken landing gear approximately 15 miles off the coast of Boca Raton.

The Federal Aviation Administration statement reports the ditching location as about two miles east of Boca Raton Airport. The Faith Tenkley statement to WPTV says Faith Tenkley decided against landing at Boca Raton Airport due to concerns that a hard landing with a full fuel load could cause a fire.

The Federal Aviation Administration statement describes the ditching in the Atlantic Ocean about two miles east of Boca Raton Airport. The Boca Raton Ocean Rescue operational report states that Boca Raton Ocean Rescue personnel extracted Faith Tenkley from the aircraft.

The Boca Raton Airport Authority statement says Faith Tenkley declared an emergency and was cleared to land at Boca Raton Airport. The Faith Tenkley statement to WPTV says Faith Tenkley experienced mechanical failure of the right engine and broken landing gear approximately 15 miles off the coast of Boca Raton.

Faith Tenkley said, "After deciding a landing at Boca Raton Airport was not the safest option I continued to the coast."