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Pilot Mark Finkelstein Rescued After Plane Crashes into Ocean

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Mark Finkelstein Plane Crash Rescue

OAK ISLAND, N.C. – A North Carolina man was rescued after his single-engine airplane crashed into the ocean earlier this month. The incident involved pilot Mark Finkelstein, who took off from Cape Fear Regional Jetport.

On August 3, while flying his personal aircraft, Finkelstein encountered engine failure. Unable to return to the jetport or land on a crowded nearby beach, he opted for an emergency landing in the ocean.

Footage of the crash shows the plane hitting the water and flipping forward before settling upright. Finkelstein was trapped inside, adrift in a small pocket of air at the back of the cabin.

City officials reported that rescuers arrived quickly and managed to extract Finkelstein through the windshield of the plane in less than 30 seconds. He expressed his gratitude, stating, “My deepest gratitude to all those who participated in rescuing and caring for me after my water landing… You were literally lifesavers!”

The footage was later released on August 27 after the Federal Aviation Administration completed their investigation into the incident. Rescuers confirmed they were in the area responding to a different emergency call when they made the quick rescue.