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 turboprop seaplane operated by Acadian Seaplanes made a hard landing on New York City’s East River, sustaining structural damage, including snapped wing struts and a damaged float.
All occupants, reported as either six or eight, were evacuated, with most uninjured and only two sustaining minor injuries who refused medical attention.
Acadian Seaplanes is investigating the incident alongside the FAA and NTSB to determine the cause, with preliminary observations suggesting a wave may have contributed to the hard landing.

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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.