Plane crash NYC: Flight instructor, student survive emergency Hudson River landing A flight instructor and his 17-year-old student survived a harrowing emergency landing in the Hudson River after their single-engine Cessna 172 lost all engine power during a training flight. The incident, which occurred on March 2, unfolded in the icy waters near the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, approximately 200 feet from shore. Both occupants managed to escape the sinking aircraft and swim to safety, though they were treated for hypothermia and released from the hospital with minor injuries. The flight began at 6:30 p.m. from Long Island MacArthur Airport, with the Cessna 172 making a brief stop at Stewart International Airport for a standard maneuver. Everything appeared routine until the pilot, Liam D’Arcy, a 31-year-old certified flight instructor from Long Island Flying School, reported a catastrophic loss of oil pressure. With no remaining engine power and no nearby runway options, D’Arcy made a split-second decision to attempt a water landing. Audio from the incident captures D’Arcy’s calm declaration to air traffic control: “We’re going into the Hudson River.” The aircraft descended rapidly toward the frigid water, with D’Arcy aiming for the shoreline. The impact was violent, but the pilot’s quick thinking and the precise distance from the shore gave them a chance to survive. After the crash, both D’Arcy and his student were able to extricate themselves from the sinking plane without assistance. They swam approximately 50 feet through the icy water, enduring extreme cold and physical strain. New York State Police Captain Brad Natalizio later confirmed that the survivors reached the shore on their own, describing their actions as “remarkable” and “desperate.#cessna_172 #liam_darcy #long_island_flying_school #hudson_river #newburgh_beacon_bridge
