Plane makes emergency landing in water near Oak Island pier, NC officials say

An airplane made a rough and dangerous landing in the waters off Oak Island, but luckily a rescue crew was already nearby, North Carolina officials say.

As the sun was setting at about 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, “a small, single engine aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in the ocean” close to the Oak Island Pier, the town said in an Aug. 3 news release.

In video shared on social media, the plane can be seen trying to land in the water a short distance from the beach, then crashes with a splash as beachgoers look on.

But help was close by.

“The Town’s Beach Safety Unit was already in the area, having responded to a water rescue call nearby, and were able to quickly launch watercraft to assist in retrieving the pilot, who was the only one on board,” the city said.

The pilot wasn’t seriously injured and received treatment on shore, officials said, adding that the plane was towed out of the water.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating, according to the town.

Oak Island is a roughly 160-mile drive southeast from Raleigh.

This story was originally published August 3, 2025 at 4:01 PM.