New York, United States: New details have been recovered from the Hudson River training aircraft crash near Newburgh, providing further clarity on the emergency water landing that saw a flight instructor and his teenage student bring their aircraft down on an icy stretch of water Monday night.
The aircraft involved was a Cessna 172 Skyhawk conducting a scheduled night training flight from Long Island MacArthur Airport.
Authorities said the plane departed MacArthur Airport at approximately 6:30 p.m. for a routine instructional flight. On board were 31-year-old certified flight instructor Liam Darcy and his 17-year-old student pilot. The flight continued north and performed a stop-and-go maneuver at Stewart International Airport around 7:30 p.m.
Shortly after departing Stewart on the return leg, the aircraft began experiencing mechanical trouble near the United States Military Academy, officials said. Darcy took control of the aircraft and declared an emergency as the engine began losing power. When it became clear the aircraft could not reach the airport, he elected to attempt an emergency landing on the Hudson River.
The aircraft touched down on an ice-covered section of the river roughly 200 feet from the western shoreline near Newburgh. Both occupants exited the aircraft and swam through frigid water to reach shore. They were later treated for minor injuries and released.
Darcy is a flight instructor with Long Island Flying, where he has been instructing the 17-year-old student for approximately a year and a half. The flight was part of structured night training.
Air traffic control audio captured from Stewart tower documented the escalating emergency, including the pilot’s transmission that they would not make the airport and were diverting to the river. Preliminary findings indicate the engine lost power completely, forcing the aircraft into a glide before the controlled water landing.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the engine failure. Authorities have stated there is no indication of impairment or criminal activity, and a mechanical examination of the aircraft remains ongoing.
