Hudson River plane crash: Cessna 172 flight instructor, student swim to shore after icy water landing in Newburgh, Orange County

Newburgh, New York – New details have been revealed about the small plane that crashed into the Hudson River Monday night near Newburgh, New York.

Officials said the passengers were 31-year-old Liam Darcy, a certified flight instructor, and a 17-year-old student. Darcy is a flight instructor with Long Island Flying, who has taught the student for about a year and a half.

The Cessna 172 lifted off from Long Island MacArthur Airport around 6:30 p.m. during a scheduled night training session. According to investigators, the student pilot was in control for most of the flight as he headed north toward the Tappan Zee Bridge before landing at Stuart International Airport around 7:30 p.m. to perform a stop-and-go maneuver, a routine training exercise in which the plane lands, comes to a complete stop on the runway, and then immediately departs without taxiing or refueling.

After the plane took off from Stuart and began its return flight to Long Island, the plane began experiencing mechanical problems near the U.S. Military Academy, officials said. Instructor Darcy took control, issued a mayday call, and turned the plane back toward Stuart. Moments later, the engine failed for reasons that are still under investigation, forcing the plane to skid.

With the runway inaccessible, Darcy chose the Hudson River as the safest emergency landing option.

Their voices were heard on an audio recording in the airport tower: “We are going to the Hudson River. I don’t think we will build the airport.”

The plane headed north toward the Newburgh Beacon Bridge, made a 180-degree turn, and landed on an ice-covered stretch of river about 200 feet off the west shore.

Air traffic controllers in Stuart played a crucial role, helping to steer the plane closer to the riverbank, officials said.

Both people were able to self-exit from the plane. They swam about 50 feet through the frigid water to reach shore, then sought temporary shelter inside a nearby building to await emergency responders.

Governor Kathy Hochul referred to the incident as “another miracle on the Hudson River.”

Initial investigations indicate no signs of intoxication or impairment, and nothing of a criminal nature. Officials said the incident appeared to be accidental.

The investigation is still ongoing in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration, which is responsible for the case. The Teterboro Federal Aviation Administration is collecting information, and authorities are also working with the National Transportation Safety Board, the U.S. Coast Guard and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.