Latest news with #MarkFinkelstein
New York Post
05-08-2025
- General
- New York Post
Small plane tumbles into ocean but pilot's quick thinking averts disaster: ‘The engine just stopped'
His training saved the day. A quick-thinking pilot's training kicked in when his single-engine plane lost power over a popular North Carolina beach — prompting a dramatic caught-on-video crash landing in the surf. 'At some point the engine started to lose power,' pilot Mark Finkelstein told WRAL-TV News following the watery Saturday evening landing off the shore of Oak Island. 'At a certain point the engine just stopped all together and the propeller just stopped. Advertisement 3 Pilot Mark Finkelstein was out for a quick flight, but 13 minutes later had to crash land in the water. Facebook/Mark Finkelstein 'And at that point it was very clear that I was supposed to be making a landing in the water,' he told the outlet. 'I was focused on the training and what I needed to do… I just focused on what I needed to do.' The small plane, a Jabiru J230-D, was only in the air for 13 minutes after taking off from nearby Cape Fear for a scheduled short flight over the popular beach before things went wrong around 7:30 p.m., according to a report by WNCN-TV News. Advertisement Footage shows the small plane splashing down in the water as bystanders look on from the beach. Rescuers quickly converge on the damaged plane and are seen plucking Finkelstein to safety, according to the footage. He told WRAL that he miraculously only suffered a cut to his leg, and no one on the ground was hurt. 3 The single-engine plane lost power and was forced to crash land off Oak Island in North Carolina on Saturday. Facebook/Tim Prince 3 Pilot Mark Finkelstein said he was fortunate to land without injury and to be rescued so quickly after the crash. Kevin Loflin via WRAL Advertisement 'I feel very, very fortunate,' the shaken but unharmed pilot said. 'When I see the damage to the plane and to think that there was virtually no damage to me. 'I was so fortunate that the impact didn't injure me, and double fortunate that the Oak Island water rescue folks got to me so quickly. I mean, that was huge. That was the key to the whole thing.'
Cedar News
05-08-2025
- General
- Cedar News
Pilot Survives Emergency Landing in Ocean Near Oak Island, North Carolina
OAK ISLAND, N.C. — A pilot is safe after making an emergency landing in the ocean off the coast of Oak Island, North Carolina, on Saturday. The incident occurred near a pier where the Oak Island Beach Safety Unit was already responding to an unrelated water rescue. This allowed responders to quickly assist the pilot, identified as Mark Finkelstein, who was the only person on board. Speaking to Good Morning America, Finkelstein said he had planned a routine 20-minute flight that afternoon but quickly noticed engine trouble after takeoff. Realizing he wouldn't make it back to Cape Fear Regional Jetport in Southport, and with the beach too crowded for a safe landing, he made the split-second decision to ditch the plane in the ocean. 'My entire focus was to stick to my training,' said Finkelstein, who has 17 years of flying experience. 'As per training, no time to be afraid.' He managed to escape the wreckage with just a minor cut on his leg. According to town officials, Finkelstein suffered non-life-threatening injuries. His plane was later recovered and towed out of the water. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is now leading an investigation into the incident. In a statement, the Town of Oak Island expressed gratitude to all agencies involved in the swift and successful response, including: Oak Island Police and Fire Departments Southport Fire Department Caswell Beach Police Department U.S. Coast Guard Brunswick County EMS
