On This Day: January 15th, 2009 - The Miracle On The Hudson
Just 9 Years Ago Today… US Airways Flight 1594 enroute to CLT; tookoff from LGA. Upon climb, the flight struck a flock of Canadian Geese and lost all engine power. The plane was not able to make it back to any airports that could handle the A320. Pilot, Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and Co Pilot, Jeffrey Skiles made a great but risky decision to bring it down in the Hudson River in Manhattan. Upon bringing it down into the Hudson, Mr. Sully informed all of the passengers what was happening and what the plan was. They did exactly what they had planned and brought it down. All 155 people on board (Including the Crew) escaped and lived to tell the tale. Although there were many injuries (Many minor and 5 Major)… Nobody died from this incident.
The accident came to be known as the “Miracle on the Hudson”, and a National Transportation Safety Board official described it as “the most successful ditching in aviation history.” - (Wikipedia)
Not only did the Crew’s actions save everyones lives… But the bystanders immediately sprung into action to help people. City Ferries went out of there way to bring people onboard (To get them out of the Fridged water). Within minutes, the NYPD was onscene along with the FDNY.
In 2016, Warner Bros. Pictures created a movie about this great story (featuring Tom Hanks). “Sully” won 5 awards aswell as nominated for over 20 other awards. It just comes to show how a great story can change the lives of many (to make a movie about it)
Picture of Sullys Wife, Laurie Sullenberger, Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and Jeffrey Skiles at a New York Yankee Game
I loved watching the Sully movie, they did such a good job portraying the events. (I need to get that moved as soon as I can)
I actually remember when that happened. We were watching a football game and the newscasters broke in with reports of an aircraft in the waters outside of LaGuardia. I was so young I didn’t really care but I remember my parents exchanging worried looks.
Then much later I remember watching another football game and the pilot and copilot and FA crew of that flight were walked out onto the field during the anthem and honored for their actions.
My buddies dad was actually assigned to the call as a firefighter. He just helped in triage as he was called in after the plane hit and FDNY confirmed the crash and requested more units. I’d have to see if he has any pictures, I’m sure he’s got something.
I remember when this happened too. I was very young, around 5, and I was in kindergarten. The school that I went to offered a class that started later in the day, and that was the class that I was in. Because of the later start times I got to sleep in. When I woke up I found my mom and little sister glued to the TV screen where an aircraft was slowly sinking into the icy waters of the Hudson. Shocked I went to school and I remember that that was all that anyone talked about all day. I find it amazing that no one died. I love Sully (the movie) and if you don’t have it, you really need to try and get it. It’s one of the best movies that I’ve ever seen!
I’ll never forget when I saw the plane tied up in downtown. My parents and I heard about the incidents and a few days later we went to see the plane all tied up near Battery Park. It was a shocking sight as I saw the plane slowly sinking down. Respect to Sully and Jeff Skiles for their hard work! I was only 4 at the time this’s happened yet I remember in clarity
Well done balloon chaser👏. This is the most detailed post describing th most important landing in world aviation. Keep up the great work and keep them coming🙂.
I loved watching “Sully” for sure. I remember that the event was all over the news, and I thought to myself “whats so big about a plane landing on water”. Then later on in life when i was really into aviation, i knew so much more about it, and I thought it was incredibly incredible.
Absolutely weird memories. My Grandma remembers turning on the TV in the morning and seeing a plane floating down the river. I remember a few months after the incident, watching TV and I was confused about a plane being in the water. I remember laughing when my Mum said birds brought it down. I was thinking ‘how pathetic are planes that dumb birds can bring them down.’
