The single engine Cessna went down near Newburgh after reported engine trouble.
NEWBURGH, NY — A flight instructor and his 17-year-old student swam to shore after their small training plane made an emergency landing and crashed into the icy Hudson River near Newburgh on Monday night, authorities said. Both were treated for hypothermia and later released.
The incident drew quick comparisons to the 2009 “Miracle on the Hudson,” but this time involved a single engine training aircraft and two people who got out on their own. Investigators are now working to determine why the plane lost power and whether any mechanical failure or maintenance issue triggered the forced landing. Federal agencies are expected to review radio communications, flight data, and the aircraft’s condition, while local officials weigh how to remove the plane from the river without creating an environmental hazard.
The flight began as a routine night lesson. Officials said the aircraft, a Cessna 172, departed from Long Island earlier in the evening and headed north for practice. The teen student flew much of the trip, and the plane made a stop at Stewart International Airport for a common training exercise known as a stop and go, where a plane lands, comes to a full stop, and takes off again without a long break.
Shortly after the plane took off from Stewart for the return leg, investigators said it began having mechanical trouble near the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The instructor, identified by authorities as 31-year-old Liam Darcy, took control and called for help over the radio. In air traffic audio described by investigators, the pilot told controllers they were not likely to reach the runway and were going into the river. Controllers worked to guide the aircraft closer to the shoreline as the plane glided lower.
The aircraft came down on an ice covered stretch of the Hudson near the Newburgh Beacon Bridge area, officials said. The landing did not flip the plane, allowing both people to escape. In the minutes that followed, the two moved away from the aircraft across broken ice and into frigid water, then made it to land, authorities said. First responders located them near the waterfront and transported them to a hospital for evaluation, where they were treated for hypothermia and released later the same night.
Officials said the plane ended up close to the west bank, in a section of river where ice had formed in sheets. Emergency crews from local fire departments and police agencies responded along the shoreline, focusing first on reaching the occupants and confirming no one else was on board. Authorities said there were no reports of injuries on land and no indication the plane struck another vessel. The Hudson, a major corridor for commercial and recreational traffic, remained open, though responders warned boaters to stay clear of the crash area while the investigation and recovery planning moved forward.
The sequence of events is now the subject of federal review. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were notified and are expected to investigate the reported engine failure, including when the problem first appeared, what instruments indicated inside the cockpit, and whether the aircraft could have returned safely to Stewart. Investigators also typically examine maintenance records, fuel history, and the pilot’s actions during the emergency, including decisions about altitude, direction, and where to set down.
Authorities said the instructor is a certified flight instructor and had been working with the student for more than a year. The student’s name was not publicly released because he is a minor. Officials said the plane was being used for training, and the flight path included the Hudson Valley area before the return to Long Island. The incident happened after sunset, a time when visibility can be reduced and a forced landing carries added risk, especially above cold water and ice.
Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus called the outcome a remarkable escape and praised the emergency response, saying the two people on board were expected to make a full recovery. Gov. Kathy Hochul also noted the outcome in public remarks, describing it as a rare and fortunate survival in dangerous conditions. Local officials said the story spread quickly because of the location and because many residents remember the 2009 water landing of a commercial jet farther south on the Hudson.
The current case differs sharply from the 2009 incident, investigators noted, because this was a small aircraft with a single engine and no cabin crew or large rescue boats arriving within minutes. That meant the two occupants faced the cold directly, with limited protection. Even a short time in near freezing water can cause rapid loss of body heat and impaired movement. Authorities said the pair made it to shore under their own power, then were assisted by responders and taken for medical checks.
Questions remain about the exact cause of the failure and what condition the aircraft was in before takeoff. Officials said it was not immediately clear who owned the plane or where it was based, and investigators have not publicly described any mechanical findings. They also have not said whether the aircraft emitted fuel or oil into the river. Local agencies and federal investigators typically coordinate with environmental officials when a plane goes down in the Hudson, which runs through multiple counties and supplies drinking water to communities along its banks.
The plane’s recovery is expected to be part of the next phase. Authorities said the aircraft was partially in the river and on ice, and any effort to move it would depend on weather, current, and the stability of the ice. In similar incidents, crews use boats, cranes, and tow lines to remove wreckage once it is safe, sometimes after divers secure key parts. Investigators usually seek to preserve the engine and fuel system for close examination once the aircraft is out of the water.
For residents along the waterfront, the response unfolded quickly. Lights from emergency vehicles reflected off the river as crews clustered near access points along the shore. Officials said responders focused on warming the two survivors and confirming they did not inhale significant water. Authorities said both people were alert when they were found, though clearly cold and exhausted.
The crash landing also highlighted the role of air traffic controllers during emergencies. Investigators said the Stewart tower remained in communication as the plane lost power, helping the instructor pick a safer line toward the riverbank. Experts say that kind of guidance can matter when a pilot is trying to stretch a glide, avoid obstacles, and keep a plane level during a forced landing, especially at night.
No charges were announced, and authorities have not suggested wrongdoing. Investigators will determine whether any mechanical issues, maintenance problems, or other factors contributed. The NTSB typically releases a preliminary report within weeks, followed by a final report that can take months. Officials said additional details, including the aircraft’s registration and maintenance history, were expected once the investigation is further along.
As of Wednesday, the two survivors had returned home, officials said, and the focus had shifted to documenting the emergency landing and planning the plane’s removal from the river. Investigators said their next milestones include securing the aircraft, interviewing the instructor in detail, and collecting records tied to the flight and the engine performance.
Author note: Last updated March 4, 2026.