Eight people escaped after a seaplane made a hard landing in New York City’s East River on Sunday morning, leaving the aircraft partially capsized before emergency responders safely evacuated everyone on board.
The incident occurred shortly before noon as the aircraft approached Manhattan after departing from East Hampton. No fatalities were reported, though several passengers were evaluated for injuries following the emergency landing.
Teen Passenger Describes Moments of Panic
Among those aboard was 16-year-old Khloe Todd, who had been returning from a holiday weekend in the Hamptons with her 75-year-old grandmother, Ada Todd.
According to Khloe, the flight had appeared routine until passengers heard a loud impact moments before landing.
She recalled hearing a sudden “thud” before the aircraft tilted sharply to its left side, triggering warning alarms and flashing cockpit indicators.
The situation quickly intensified as the pilots declared a “mayday” emergency and instructed everyone to immediately put on their personal flotation devices.
Video Captures Dramatic Moments Inside Cabin
Footage recorded inside the cabin documented the tense moments as passengers prepared for impact.
One of the pilots informed those on board that a pontoon had broken while repeatedly instructing passengers to wear their life jackets.
As concern spread through the cabin, passengers could be heard asking where the emergency flotation devices were located, while others attempted to remain calm as the aircraft settled into the river.
Khloe said the experience was far more violent than she expected during what she initially believed would be a routine water landing.
Fellow Passenger Helped Calm Frightened Travelers
Despite the growing panic, Khloe credited another passenger with helping reassure everyone aboard.
She said a man seated behind her, who appeared familiar with aircraft, repeatedly assured passengers that the plane would remain afloat and that they were not in immediate danger.
His calm instructions helped ease fears as the aircraft leaned into the water following the impact.
Grandmother Suffers Minor Injuries
Khloe said her grandmother, who has pre-existing spinal issues, sustained a head injury during the accident.
Emergency medical teams evaluated passengers and crew after rescue boats transported everyone safely to shore.
Images from the scene showed ambulances waiting near the FDR Drive waterfront, where first responders assessed those involved before arranging onward transportation.
Blade Air Points to Rough Water Conditions
Blade Air Mobility, whose booking platform operated the flight through Acadian Seaplanes, said preliminary information suggests rough water conditions contributed to the hard landing.
Company officials indicated that heavy boat traffic in the East River, including multiple ferry vessels, may have generated waves that complicated the landing.
They also noted that weather conditions following thunderstorms the previous evening could have produced additional wind or choppy water at the time of touchdown.
Structural Damage Led to Aircraft Tilting
According to Blade, the force of the landing damaged one of the aircraft’s structural struts connecting the pontoons to the fuselage.
The impact also reportedly caused damage to one pontoon, leaving the aircraft unable to remain level and resulting in its partial capsize after coming to rest in the river.
The aircraft involved was identified as a Kodiak 100 single-engine turboprop seaplane manufactured in 2022 and registered as tail number N555NL.
Aircraft Removed as Investigation Begins
After all passengers safely exited the aircraft, recovery crews stabilized the seaplane before towing it to docks near East 23rd Street.
Blade said passengers were reunited with their luggage within approximately 20 minutes of reaching shore before being transported to their final destinations by car.
Authorities, including the New York Police Department and the Federal Aviation Administration, have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the emergency landing and assess whether mechanical failure, weather or water conditions contributed to the incident.
