https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJdGc7ZcK58
Talk about a close call! This aircraft was caught on camera crashing into the water during the Cocoa Beach Air Show in Florida. Bystanders who were on the beach watched in awe as the plane came in for an emergency landing, with some only a few feet away from where it finally came to a stop.
The pilot was flying in a TBM Avenger during the air show, when he suddenly experienced a mechanical failure. With practically no time to find a potential runway, the pilot had to react, and fast. Luckily, he was close enough to the beach, so he decided that was exactly where he was going to land this aircraft. He brought the plane down to a low altitude and gently flew only a few feet above water. He went right over a few people's heads, before slowing down and crash landing directly into the water relatively close to the sand.
Now, the pilot was the only one in the aircraft, and fortunately, he made it out of the incident uninjured, according to reports. I actually have to give him credit for how he handled the stressful situation. He skillfully maneuvered the plane to lower altitudes, and safety touched down in the water far enough away from the beach-goers. This could have ended much differently with a less-skilled pilot in the cockpit. People on the beach were in absolute shock at what they just witnessed, but rescue crews were quick to jump into action following the landing.
I'd imagine a mechanical failure like this is every pilot's worst nightmare, but it's these unplanned circumstances that can truly show their skills. It's just a miracle that with as many air show spectators as there were, everyone made it out of this unscathed.