Pilot survives ocean crash near Oak Island after engine failure
A North Carolina pilot was rescued after his single-engine plane crashed into the ocean off Oak Island on August 2 following an engine failure early in the flight. The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. as the pilot, Mark Finkelstein, was flying from Cape Fear Regional Jetport.
The aircraft crashed into the water near the Oak Island Pier, and rescuers from the Oak Island Beach Safety Unit, Southport Fire Department, and Oak Island Water Rescue quickly converged on the scene. Video footage circulating online shows the plane hitting the water and flipping over, with rescue team members extracting Finkelstein from the submerged cockpit within minutes.
Finkelstein, who remained conscious, was placed on a stretcher attached to a rescue boat and brought to shore. He suffered only a cut to his leg and was taken to a hospital before returning home the same night.
The flight was roughly 13 minutes from takeoff, and Finkelstein previously described a plan for a short, down-and-back trip down Oak Island. He later expressed gratitude for the rapid rescue and care he received, posting that the responders were “life savers.”
In a Facebook post on August 6, Finkelstein thanked the Oak Island Fire Department, Southport Fire Department, and other agencies involved in the operation, and shared a photo from the moment he was helped to shore.
The Federal Aviation Administration was contacted for comment as investigators review the incident.
What this shows
– Swift, multi-agency response helped avert a potentially deadly outcome.
– The rescue occurred minutes after the water landing, leading to a quick, favorable recovery.
– The incident highlights how quickly engine trouble can escalate in small aircraft, even during short flights.
Additional notes
– The pilot described the incident as fortunate, given how quickly help arrived and the relatively minor injuries sustained.
– The aircraft involved was reportedly associated with the call sign Air Finky in his communications.
Overall, the rescue demonstrates the effectiveness of coastal emergency response teams and the importance of rapid action in water landings. The situation ended with the pilot in good spirits and recovering quickly, underscoring a positive outcome from a dangerous emergency.