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THIS DAY IN HISTORY
“This is Your Captain… Brace for Impact,” Captain Sully Sullenberger
Captain Sully Lands On The Hudson And Into History
On this day in 2009, US Airways flight 1549, made an emergency landing on the Hudson River, forever to be known as “Miracle on the Hudson.” The airplane had completed its take off, when it hit a large flock of Canadian geese causing catastrophic double engine failure.
The airplane was piloted by Captain Chesley (“Sully”) Sullenberger, who had over 40 years experience as a pilot. Captain Sully was faced with evaluating the plane’s ability to land at nearby airports, or to bring her down in a water landing. Water landings are difficult in best circumstances, but this was a crowded river right between New York and New Jersey. Buildings surrounded the river and several bridges spanned over the river.
Sully made a split second decision, changing the future of 155 persons on board and the aviation industry. Although the passengers had a frightful landing and water evacuation out of the plane, all survived.
Captain Sully said in a ABCNews interview, “We made a runway out of a river. And by doing that, we had the best chance of saving every life.”
