Dramatic video shows a small aircraft crashing into the Atlantic Ocean just minutes after taking off from a North Carolina airfield, sparking a major rescue operation.
The single-engine plane’s pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in the water after experiencing an engine failure and being unable to return to the Cape Fear Regional Jetport, or land on the crowded beach, the Oak Island Fire Department (OIFD) said in a statement.
In video of the crash, the plane is seen coming into land at speed on the ocean, before flipping over in the water, in terrifying scenes earlier this month.
Dramatic video shows a small airplane crash-land and flip over in the Atlantic Ocean. Town of Oak Island via FOX Weather
Drone footage from rescuers shows the pilot, Mark Finkelstein, being pulled out by his feet through the windshield, after only being able to breathe a small pocket of air in the back of the cabin.
“On Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025, at 7:33 PM, Mark Finkelstein’s small, single-engine aircraft began experiencing engine failure. Unable to return to the Cape Fear Regional Jetport and seeing the beach area to be crowded, Mark made the decision to perform an emergency water landing in the ocean near the Oak Island Pier,” the statement read.
After tumbling forward on initial contact with the water, the plane came to rest mostly submerged in an upright position,” the statement continued.
“Surviving on a small pocket of air in the back of the aircraft’s cabin, Finkelstein was guided by rescuers feet-first, under the water and out through the windshield.”
The plane landed in the water after the pilot experienced engine failure. Town of Oak Island via FOX Weather
Drone footage shows the pilot being pulled to safety headfirst through the windshield. Town of Oak Island via FOX Weather
The entire rescue operation took just 30 seconds, the OIFD said.
“My deepest gratitude to all those who participated in rescuing and caring for me after my water landing … You were literally lifesavers!” Finkelstein wrote later in a statement shared by the OIFD.
Finkelstein visited the Southport Fire Department Caswell Station on Aug. 11 to meet his rescuers, thank them, and present them with an award for their quick work.
In this photo from video, Delta Air Lines Flight 89 to Shanghai, China dumps fuel over Los Angeles before returning to Los Angeles International Airport for an emergency landing on Jan. 14, 2020 (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)More
Delta Air Lines has agreed to pay $79 million to settle a class-action lawsuit following a 2020 incident where one of its aircraft dumped fuel over schools and residential areas near Los Angeles.
The settlement addresses the January 14, 2020, event, when a Boeing 777-200, en route from Los Angeles to Shanghai, experienced engine trouble. Forced to return to Los Angeles International Airport, the jet released 15,000 gallons of fuel over densely populated neighbourhoods to achieve a safe landing weight.
While the aircraft landed safely, Los Angeles County firefighters were called to schools in Cudahy. Nearly 60 schoolchildren and teachers were examined for minor skin and lung irritations, though none required hospitalisation.
Shortly after, teachers from Park Avenue Elementary School in Cudahy filed a lawsuit against the airline, saying they were exposed to jet fuel that drizzled down like raindrops with “overwhelming” fumes. They described feeling the fuel on their clothes, skin and eyes. Later, several Cudahy homeowners filed a class-action suit.
The teachers said they sought medical treatment after the incident and experienced physical and emotional pain.
A student cries as she evacuates Park Avenue Elementary School after jet fuel fell on the school in Cudahy, Calif., Jan. 14, 2020 (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Delta said in the lawsuit settlement reached Monday that one of the plane’s two engines lost thrust shortly after takeoff and that the plane, which was carrying enough fuel for the 13-hour flight, exceeded its maximum landing weight by around 160,000 pounds.
The weight of a full load of fuel carries a risk of damaging a jetliner during landing — which can be expensive for an airline to fix. Even if there isn’t damage, airlines try to avoid overweight landings because they are required to inspect planes, which puts them out of service.
The pilots decided to dump fuel “to reduce the serious risks of flying and landing an overweight airplane on just one engine.” the airline said in court documents.
Delta said in court documents that it agreed to the settlement without any admission of liability to avoid the legal expenses of a trial and “to eliminate the distraction and other burdens this litigation has caused to Delta’s business.”
Delta did not immediately respond Friday to a request for comment.
