NYPD Releases Bodycam of 8 Rescued After East River Seaplane Hard Landing

Q: Did a design flaw or the turbulent river cause the new seaplane's pontoon to suddenly collapse during landing?

The available evidence points more strongly to rough East River conditions and a hard landing than to any proven design flaw. What is known is that the Kodiak 100 hit the water hard, bounced three times, and then the left float struts appeared to fail on the third impact. Passenger video and witness accounts describe choppy water, a sharp left tilt, cockpit warnings, and a loud bang. The pilot reportedly told passengers that a pontoon had broken. The FAA has described the event as a hard landing that caused structural damage, including a snapped strut. There is, so far, no public evidence of a design defect in the aircraft or its floats. The plane was built in 2022, and the reporting provided does not cite any manufacturer warning, recall, or prior finding involving a flaw in the Kodiak 100’s float system. That does not rule out a mechanical issue, but it has not been established. By contrast, investigators and the operator have pointed to possible environmental factors: storm-related chop, ferry wakes, wind shifts, and the East River’s difficult tidal currents. That waterway is widely regarded as challenging for seaplane operations because uneven waves and cross-currents can create asymmetric loads on floats during landing. The NTSB and FAA are still investigating, so the cause is not final. But based on the facts released so far, turbulent water contributing to a hard landing is the leading explanation, not a confirmed design flaw.

3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Jul 6

Bodycam footage released Monday shows NYPD Harbor Unit officers pulling alongside a downed seaplane in the East River and bringing all eight people aboard to safety.
The Kodiak 100 went into the water near East 23rd Street and the FDR Drive around noon Sunday with six passengers and two crew members; authorities reported no serious injuries.
Video captures officers tossing a rope to the plane's pontoon, asking whether anyone was missing, and guiding life-vested passengers out one by one.
Passenger Khloe Todd, 16, said the plane was already tilted and she feared it would sink before rescuers arrived; the aircraft was later towed back to a dock.
The release comes just three weeks after another helicopter crashed into the East River, underscoring renewed focus on emergency response on New York waterways.