Plane from MacArthur landed in Hudson River during lesson after it 'lost total power,' NTSB report says

The sole engine of the plane that took off from Long Island MacArthur Airport and made an emergency landing in the Hudson River earlier this month had "lost total power," according to a National Transportation Safety Board report.

The flight instructor and student on board were performing a "touch-and-go landing at New York Stewart International Airport" moments before the March 2 incident, according to the NTSB’s preliminary report available through its website.

Ahead of the 7:10 p.m. water landing, the teacher, whom Newsday previously identified as instructor Liam D’Arcy, 31, of Southampton, reported "the engine was not producing the normal rpm," the report reads. Upon checking the cockpit engine gauges, D’Arcy also noticed "the oil pressure was indicating zero."

"He then declared an emergency with air traffic control and asked to return directly to the airport," the NTSB said. "The engine then began to run extremely rough before it lost total power."

After D’Arcy took the controls from his student pilot, whom Newsday previously identified as a 17-year-old male from Locust Valley, he "determined that the airplane would not be able to reach the airport," according to the report. The pilot decided to land the plane in the Hudson "close to the western shore, at the area with the most lighting," the report reads.

The single-engine Cessna landed "among broken patch ice and struck some submerged structures, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane’s fuselage," the report reads. D’Arcy and the student got out of the airplane and made their way to shore. Both were transported to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries, Newsday previously reported.

"The airplane sank until the wings were awash, but remained largely afloat and was recovered the following day," the NTSB said. "The wreckage was retained for further examination."

The NTSB’s preliminary report only reveals "factual information gathered during the initial phase of the investigation," agency spokesperson Peter Knudson told Newsday via email.

The information and records gathered during the full investigation includes flight track data, air traffic control recordings, aircraft maintenance records, weather and lighting conditions, witness statements, surveillance footage and a "72-hour background of the pilot to determine if there were any issues that could have affected the pilot’s ability to safely operate the flight," the spokesperson said.

A full NTSB report, which will detail a "probable cause of the crash along with any contributing factors" is expected for release within 12 to 24 months from the day of the incident, Knudson said.

D’Arcy did not return messages seeking comment Wednesday afternoon.