Seaplane Operator Addresses East River Hard Landing

Acadian Seaplanes says passengers suffered no injuries and that it will conduct an investigation.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, July 07, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A Kodiak 100 turboprop, similar to the one above but equipped with pontoons, made a hard landing on New York City’s East River on Sunday, July 5. [Credit: Daher]

Key Takeaways:

A Kodiak 100 seaplane operated by Acadian Seaplanes made a hard landing on New York City's East River on Sunday, sustaining structural damage including snapped wing struts and a damaged float.
All 6 to 8 occupants aboard the aircraft were safely evacuated, with conflicting reports indicating either no injuries or two minor injuries that did not require medical attention.
Acadian Seaplanes, along with the FAA and NTSB, is investigating the cause of the incident, with potential factors like strong waves or wind during landing being considered.

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The operator of a Kodiak 100 turboprop that made a hard landing on New York City’s East River on Sunday said it is investigating the cause of the accident.

Acadian Seaplanes, which offers chartered flights in the U.S. Northeast and between Florida’s mainland and coastal islands, said in a LinkedIn post that the aircraft sustained “structural damage during the landing rollout” after touching down on the river around noon EDT Sunday. Per air traffic control audio, the accident occurred near the New York Skyports Seaplane Base (6N7) near East 23rd Street in Manhattan.