FAA says pilot made hard landing, breaking wing strut
New York Fire Department units responded to reports of an aircraft down at around midday local time Sunday at the marina at East 23rd Street and FDR Drive in Manhattan, officials said.
Ten people were aboard the Kodiak 100 seaplane when it landed in the river, according to United Press International. The New York Fire Department said eight people were removed from the aircraft and two had minor injuries and refused medical attention.
The plane was upright after the landing and was towed back to the dock, fire officials said.
The FAA said the pilot “made a hard landing,” causing a wing strut to snap. In a hard landing, a plane touches down with excessive vertical speed or force, exceeding the manufacturer limit.
The FAA also said air traffic control “was not providing services to the aircraft” at the time of the incident, according to a post on social media. Where the plane originated from has not been made public as of Sunday, UPI reported.
The incident follows another seaplane accident on the East River three weeks ago. On June 13, a small two-seater seaplane was struck by a large wave as it tried to take off from the river near Whitestone, Queens. No one was injured in that crash, according to officials.