FAA report sheds light on NC coast plane crash at Oak Island over weekend

A Jabiru experimental plane crashed Saturday evening about 200 yards off the beach from Oak Island in Brunswick County, a new FAA report Monday said.

The pilot, the only occupant, suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to Oak Island officials.

The plane, built in 2022, had a flight certificate issued in April 2023, and it was valid until April 2030, the FAA database said.

The personal plane is classified as “Light-Sport Kit-Built,” the FAA information said.

The incident was reported just after 7:30 p.m. Saturday near the Oak Island Pier at 705 Ocean Drive, according to an Oak Island news release.

During rescue efforts, a person in a lifejacket and a lifeguard could be seen clinging to the plane as it barely floated on the waterline. The plane was recovered and was towed out of the water Saturday night.

The Monday FAA report said the plane crashed for “unknown reasons” and that damage to the aircraft was “substantial.”