Seaplane Makes Emergency Landing in NYC’s East River, Carrying 8 Passengers
A dramatic incident unfolded on the waters of New York City on Sunday, July 5, 2026. A Kodiak 100 seaplane made a hard crash landing in the East River between Brooklyn and Manhattan, causing substantial damage to the aircraft and sending shockwaves through the general aviation community.
The New York Fire Department received a distress call at 12:01 p.m., reporting the aircraft in the river north of the Williamsburg Bridge. The seaplane, which had departed from East Hampton earlier that day, was carrying eight people on board when it struck the water hard. It bounced three times before the struts supporting the left float collapsed and a wing strut snapped.
Dramatic video captured from inside the plane by 16-year-old passenger Khloe Todd showed the aircraft tilting sharply to the left as cockpit warnings sounded and passengers gasped. Fortunately, all occupants were brought safely ashore, with only two sustaining minor injuries. The aircraft was later seen upright and being towed back to the dock by FDNY crews.
The FAA confirmed it will investigate the accident, noting that air traffic control was not providing services to the aircraft at the time. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has also opened an investigation, classifying the landing as causing “substantial damage” to the aircraft. The Kodiak 100, manufactured just last year according to FAA ownership records, is a single-engine turboprop utility aircraft commonly used for seaplane operations.
Source: CNN – Seaplane Crash Landing in NYC’s East River (July 5, 2026)