Aircraft in Boca Raton ocean landing identified as Piper PA30-series
The FAA is investigating after a pilot landed a plane in the Atlantic Ocean off Boca Raton following engine failure.
2 reports on this incident · first at Aug 22, 2026, 9:09 p.m. ET
Earlier reports
Aug 22, 2026, 9:09 p.m. ETFirst report
Pilot lands plane in Atlantic after engine failure off Boca Raton
A small plane landed in the Atlantic Ocean off Boca Raton, Florida, on April 12, 2025, after the pilot reported mechanical problems and engine failure, according to DailyMail.com. The incident occurred around 9:40 a.m. local time. The aircraft, a Piper PA30-series, sank until only its tail was visible above water, the outlet reported.
The pilot, Faith Tenkley, 23, was flying from Fort Myers to the Bahamas to pick up her parents, according to DailyMail.com. The plane's registration is listed as PA-39, though the outlet did not specify whether this is the aircraft's tail number or model designation. The cause of the mechanical problems has not been determined.
The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash, DailyMail.com reported. Weather observations at Boca Raton Airport, about 2 miles away, recorded wind from 360 degrees at 13 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, and a temperature of 72°F at 13 minutes after the reported time; these conditions are not stated as a cause.
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Reference data
From aircraft and geographic registries, not from the news sources. Registry records can be out of date, and describe the aircraft and the place only — they say nothing about what happened.
- Terrain elevation
- 30 ft
- Nearest aerodrome
- 2.0 miles SE of Boca Raton Airport (KBCT/BCT)
Sources
Revision history
- Version 123 Aug 2026, 01:22current
First published.
- Version 123 Aug 2026, 01:09current
First published.
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