Pilot Pulled From Sunken Plane After Emergency Crash Near Oak Island Pier
OAK ISLAND, N.C. – A veteran pilot is counting his blessings after being pulled from the wreckage of a sunken plane following a harrowing emergency water landing near Oak Island Pier earlier this month.
Engine Failure Mid-Flight
The pilot, identified as Mark Finkelstein, had been flying his single-engine aircraft for just 13 minutes when the engine suddenly failed.
“It was literally going to be about a 20-minute flight just down the length of Oak Island, turn around and come back in,” Finkelstein told WECT .
When the engine stopped completely, Finkelstein realized he could not return to Cape Fear Regional Jetport. With the beach near Oak Island Pier crowded, he opted for the ocean.
Dramatic Crash and Rescue
Footage shows the plane skidding across the water before flipping upside down and sinking. The Oak Island Fire Department reported the aircraft came to rest nearly submerged, with Finkelstein surviving on a small pocket of air in the cabin.
“At some point, the engine started to lose power so the RPM started to go down. The engine just stopped altogether … it was very clear I was going to be making a landing in the water,” Finkelstein recalled.
Rescuers guided him feet-first through the windshield and onto a water rescue raft in under 30 seconds. He sustained only a cut to his leg, later treated with stitches.
Emergency Services Credited
Local fire and rescue agencies had just completed another water call nearby when the crash occurred. Their presence allowed for an immediate response.
“Within minutes of his landing in the water, units from multiple agencies were at the plane, and able to swiftly recover Mr. Finkelstein, transporting him back to shore,” the Oak Island Fire Department said in a release.
Finkelstein expressed gratitude for their quick action:
“I was so fortunate that the impact didn’t injure me and doubly fortunate that the Oak Island Water Rescue got to me so quickly. That was huge. That was the key to the whole thing,” he said.
Community Reaction
Witnesses and community members praised the rescue. Many noted the terrifying nature of the crash but also the professionalism of the responders.
One Oak Island resident said, “To see a plane go down like that was shocking, but the speed of the rescue was incredible. They saved his life.”
Do you believe North Carolina should increase emergency response funding along its coastline to handle more incidents like this? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion at SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.
