A pilot survived a crash landing into the sea off the coast of North Carolina by holding onto an air pocket inside the cabin.

Pilot Mark Finkelstein executed the daring emergency water landing near Oak Island Pier on August 2 after his single-engine aircraft suffered mechanical failure around 7:33 pm.

Unable to return to Cape Fear Regional Jetport and seeing the crowded beach below, Finkelstein made a split-second decision to ditch in the ocean.

The plane came to rest mostly submerged, leaving him clinging to a small pocket of air in the rear of the cabin.

First responders from the Oak Island Beach Safety Unit, Southport Fire Department, and Oak Island Water Rescue were nearby and reached the aircraft within minutes.

They guided Finkelstein feet-first under the water and out through the windshield, completing the extraction in less than 30 seconds.

Footage captured by the Oak Island Drone Unit shows the full sequence, revealing the tense approach, water landing, and life-saving rescue.

An incident report from the Aviation Safety Network stated: 'A Jabiru J230-D, N784J, ditched in the sea off Oak Island Pier, near Yaupon, Oak Island, North Carolina, during an attempted return to the Oak Island-Cape Fear Regional Jetport (KSUT), Oak Island.

'The sole pilot suffered minor injuries and was rescued by the local beach rescue unit and the aircraft was recovered and towed out off the water.'

Finkelstein later said: 'I want to express my deepest gratitude to all those who participated in rescuing and caring for me after my water landing. You were literally lifesavers.'

On August 11, he returned to present rescuers Chris Dunham, Chad Butchello, and Austin Lancaster with a Special Proclamation, naming them Honorary Admirals of his 'Air FInky' Maritime Division.

The Federal Aviation Administration continues to investigate the cause of the failure. The Town of Oak Island thanked all mutual aid responders, including local police, fire departments, water rescue units, the U.S. Coast Guard, and Brunswick County EMS.