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Engine Failure Forces Hudson River Crash Landing; Instructor, Student Swim to Safety SEO DES: The flight instructor declared an emergency and landed on an ice-covered river about 200 feet from shore, and he & his 17-year-old student swam safely to land SOCIAL: A Cessna 172 Skyhawk operating a night training flight from Long Island MacArthur Airport made an emergency landing on the Hudson River after suffering engine failure near the United States Military Academy. The aircraft had earlier conducted a stop-and-go maneuver at Stewart International Airport before mechanical trouble developed on the return leg. Flight instructor Liam Darcy, who teaches at Long Island Flying, declared an emergency and guided the plane onto an ice-covered section of the river about 200 feet from shore. Darcy and his 17-year-old student exited the aircraft and swam to safety. Both were treated for minor injuries and released. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the engine failure. 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.

Engine Failure Forces Hudson River Crash Landing; Instructor, Student Swim to Safety

Aviation Today News Desk / March 4, 2026

New York, United States: New details have been recovered from the Hudson River training aircraft crash near Newburgh, providing further […]

Pretoria, South Africa: A routine training flight turned fatal on Thursday evening, 19 February 2026, when a light aircraft crashed in the rural Klipgat area of Sofasonke township in the North West Province, killing both the flight instructor and the student pilot on board. The aircraft, operated by Excellentia Airline Academy, went down shortly before 6 p.m., triggering its emergency locator transmitter (ELT) and drawing an immediate response from rescue teams. Emergency responders including the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC), paramedics, police and aviation investigators reached the crash site within minutes. Despite swift efforts, both occupants were pronounced dead at the scene. Initial field reports have not confirmed a specific cause but early indications suggest that the aircraft may have experienced mechanical difficulties or sudden weather changes, but a full investigation by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) is underway to determine the exact cause. Witnesses in the area reported hearing a loud roar in the sky around sunset, followed by smoke rising from the wreckage. The light fixed-wing trainer, a Sling 2 aircraft used for pilot instruction, was on a standard sortie when it went down with only the two pilots on board. Police later confirmed the age of the occupants as 28 and 24 respectively. In an official statement issued after the crash, Excellentia Airline Academy confirmed that one of its training aircraft was involved and that the academy was “devastated by this tragic loss.” The statement noted that it received notification from the ARCC shortly after 6 p.m., and that the SACAA had confirmed the fatalities. “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families, loved ones, colleagues and fellow students affected by this tragedy,” the academy said. The academy also stated it is fully cooperating with SACAA and other authorities in the ongoing investigation, and requested that speculation regarding the cause be avoided while investigators carry out their work. It added that, “Out of respect for the families, we will not be releasing the names of those involved,” and that support services are being provided to academy staff and students. Family members and community residents gathered near the crash site on Friday, laying floral tributes and paying their respects. Relatives described both young men as passionate about aviation and committed to achieving their professional goals. A relative of the 24-year-old student said his family was “devastated and in shock,” remembering him as a diligent learner with dreams of becoming a commercial pilot. A neighbour of the instructor spoke of him as a committed mentor to younger aspiring pilots in the region. The SACAA has begun detailed investigations, gathering wreckage evidence, flight plans, witness testimony and any available electrical or onboard flight data. A preliminary report is expected to be issued within 30 days of the occurrence, as per regulatory protocol. Flight Training School Incidents in South Africa: 04 February, 2026: A Piper Cherokee 140 (ZS‑XPR) training aircraft departing from Grand Central Airport crashed near Carstenhof Hospital in Glen Austin, Midrand during a training flight. Both the flight instructor and the student pilot on board suffered serious injuries and were rushed to hospital, and the aircraft was substantially damaged. 26 October, 2025: During a morning training flight, a light aircraft suffered engine failure and attempted an emergency landing in a school field, veering into a tuckshop of Hoërskool Alberton in the City of Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. Both the instructor and student escaped unharmed. 15 October, 2025: Two training aircraft from Aviation Junction Flying School in Secunda, Mpumalanga, took off on routine flights over the KwaZulu‑Natal Midlands. Both aircraft Sling 2 types encountered poor weather with heavy mist and low visibility, lost contact with radio and radar, and later crashed in separate locations near Nottingham Road and Pietermaritzburg. The 26‑year‑old Indian trainee pilot Mayank Prajapati and 35‑year‑old South African pilot Martin Brown were killed in the twin crashes, prompting intensified calls for safety reforms in South Africa’s flight‑training sector. 13 October, 2025: A tragic training accident claimed the life of 20‑year‑old Piyush Pushp, a student from Ranchi, India, while he was undergoing solo flight training at the Vulcan Aviation Institute in Johannesburg. During the solo sortie, the light training aircraft reportedly suffered a sudden technical malfunction mid‑air, leading to a crash shortly after take‑off. 10 June, 2025: The aircraft, operated by Eagle Air Flight School, was part of a trio of light planes flying in a loose formation from an airstrip near Durban toward Pretoria. The group encountered severe weather, including low visibility and turbulence, which led them to divert from their planned refuelling stop in Ladysmith toward Greytown & crashed. Airport emergency responders arrived but all three pilots were killed.

Aircraft Crashes

Instructor, Student Pilot Killed In South Africa Training Crash As Safety Concerns Mount

Aviation Today News Desk / February 21, 2026

Pretoria, South Africa: A routine training flight turned fatal on Thursday evening, 19 February 2026, when a light aircraft crashed

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