Chesley Sullenberger

Miracle on the Hudson...

Ever heard of a flight landing on water? On January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549, an Airbus A320 operated by US Airways on a flight from New York City's LaGuardia Airport collided with a flock of Canada geese. Both engines were severely damaged, causing an almost complete loss of thrust. Repeated attempts to restart the engines were unsuccessful, forcing captain “Sully” to make an emergency landing. Air traffic controllers instructed the seasoned pilots to head to a nearby runaway and offered multiple potential airport runaways to do so, to which he calmly informed them that he was unable to do so. The veteran pilot simply informed the 150 terrified passengers and the 5 crew members on board to brace for impact saying “we’re gonna be in the Hudson”.

A minute and a half later, Sully glided the Airbus 320 onto the chilly surface of the Hudson River. Passengers were rushed into life jackets, through emergency exits and onto the wings. A horde of commuter ferries, sightseeing boats and rescue vessels raced to the scene to rescue the passengers. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report of the incident the air temperature that day was a brutal 19 degrees Fahrenheit, and the water temperature was 41 degrees. While Sullenberger became a national hero to many, some were critical of his decision to land in the Hudson River. However, a lengthy investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board concluded that his decision to ditch in the Hudson had been appropriate. The incident dubbed as the “Miracle on the Hudson”, and a National Transportation Safety Board official described it as "the most successful ditching in aviation history".

 

Despite the “miracle” label, some aboard were seriously injured. According to the NTSB, four passengers were hospitalized for more than 48 hours; dozens more were treated for minor injuries as well as hypothermia, but thankfully no fatalities occurred. After walking up and down the aisle twice to ensure a complete evacuation, captain Sullenberger was the last to leave the sinking plane.

Even after this horrifying experience most members of the Flight 1549 crew returned to flying shortly after. Captain Sully returned briefly to flying for US Airways several months after his infamous flight. He retired from US Airways after 30 years in the airline industry on March 3, 2010, and has since devoted his time to consulting, public speaking and advocating for aviation safety.