No Engines Over New York
Watch
Transcript
1. Takeoff
January 15, 2009. US Airways Flight 1549 takes off from LaGuardia with 155 people on board.
2. Bird strike
Less than two minutes later, at 2,818 feet, the jet flies into a flock of Canada geese.
Both engines lose almost all their thrust.
3. The cockpit
Captain Chesley Sullenberger takes the controls. First Officer Jeffrey Skiles runs the engine restart checklist.
They switch on the backup power unit, keeping the flight computers working.
4. No runway
Air traffic control offers LaGuardia, then Teterboro in New Jersey. Too far, with no engines.
The captain radios: "We're gonna be in the Hudson."
5. Brace
"Brace for impact." The flight attendants shout the brace commands to the passengers.
6. The landing
Less than four minutes after the bird strike, the jet lands on the river.
The water is near freezing. The air is 19 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. On the wings
Passengers stand on the wings and slides. Commuter ferries arrive within minutes.
Before leaving, the captain walks the cabin twice to make sure no one is left.
8. Everyone home
All 155 people survive. The NTSB credited the crew's teamwork, quick decisions and the nearby boats.
The plane is now on display in a museum in Charlotte, North Carolina.