A small aircraft crashed into the ocean near Oak Island Pier at approximately 7:30 pm on Saturday.Local authorities confirmed the sole occupant, the pilot, received treatment for minor injuries after being brought ashore. The aircraft was subsequently retrieved from the water.WECT received footage from a witness fishing on the pier, who recorded the incident. Her voice can be heard saying, “Oh my God, a plane just crashed into the ocean, it’s going down.”The person recording expressed concern as the aircraft began submerging but noted emergency services were en route.“Police are already coming … come on guys,” she stated.Local officials confirmed their beach safety unit, having just completed water rescue operations nearby, swiftly retrieved the pilot.A bystander told WECT, “I thought it was a water plane, and it just looked like it was landing, and then it crashed and tipped. Everyone was just getting up and saying, ‘Call 911, what do we do?'”Initially managed by the Coast Guard, the investigation has now been transferred to the Federal Aviation Administration.
