US Airways A320 Crash Into Hudson River

timwinters said:
I was at OSH today for the annual ski plane fly-in at pioneer airfield. It was pretty cool.

The highlight of the fly-in, however, was when the newly re-designed US Air jet did a low & slow fly over to display the new safety features specifically designed for jets departing NYC over the Hudson River.

I got a pretty good photo of it.
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Not bad but the floats are too small.
 
Here's an account from an AA pilot who was "jumpseating" (actually in first class) at the time:

http://startelegram.typepad.com/sky_talk/2009/01/a-view-of-flight-1549-from-the-jump-seat.html

A couple more things about Sully pop out in this one:

Captain Sullenberger continued in a leadership role in the aftermath, talking with the passengers, assembling his crew and including myself and the other jumpseat rider as members of his crew. I was impressed to note that he had the aircraft logbook tucked under his arm. When the Captain asked me if I wanted to join the crew at the hotel, I told him I would really appreciate it as I had lost my wallet. He immediately pulled out his wallet and gave me $20. His concern for me when he had so much else to worry about was amazing.
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Most impressive, and I'm glad to see such a positive account.
 
vontresc said:
Well it looks like Sullenberger is in trouble afer all....

http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/us-airways-violates-federal-migratory-bird-laws/

Double Honkercide is a serious crime :rofl:
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:rofl:

Forensic examination of the avian corpses continues, and technicians are analyzing the two cadavers under heat with chestnuts, prunes, and Armagnac. NTSB inspectors have contributed a supply of testing fluid, a 2005 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling from Alsace. We will update this story as entrees details become available.
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This just in:
The following is an update on the National Transportation
Safety Board's investigation of US Airways flight 1549, which
ditched into the Hudson River on January 15, 2009.
The left (#1) engine, which was recovered from the Hudson
River on January 23 and subsequently shipped to the
manufacturer in Cincinnati where the NTSB is directing a
teardown, was found to contain bird remains. The organic
material found in the right (#2) engine has also been
confirmed to be bird remains. The material from both engines
has been sent to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington
where the particular bird species will be identified.
As part of its investigation into this accident, the NTSB
investigated an engine surge event that occurred in the right
(#2) engine during a flight on January 13, two days prior to
the accident. The engine recovered from the surge and the
remainder of the flight was completed uneventfully. The NTSB
determined that the surge was due to a faulty temperature
sensor, which was replaced by maintenance personal following
approved procedures. After the engine was examined with a
boroscope and found to be undamaged and in good working
order, the aircraft was returned to service.
On December 31, 2008, the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) covering all
CFM56-5B series turbofan engines, the same type that was on
the accident aircraft. After examining the engine maintenance
records and interviewing relevant personnel, the NTSB
determined that all of the requirements of the AD were
complied with prior to the accident flight.
During the accident flight, the flight data recorder revealed
no anomalies or malfunctions in either engine up to the point
where the captain reported a bird strike, after which there
was an uncommanded loss of thrust in both engines.
Last week the aircraft was moved from the barge where it had
been docked in Jersey City, NJ, to a secure salvage yard in
Kearny, NJ, where it will remain throughout the NTSB
investigation, which is expected to last 12-18 months
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We can now put some rumors to rest:

Birds found in BOTH engines
Prior compressor stalls not related to this incident
All AD/SBs complied with
No pilot shutdown of wrong engine.
 
Greg Bockelman said:
There will still be doubters
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:rofl::rofl::rofl:

tin-foil-hat.jpg



Trapper John
 
SCCutler said:
Greg, there are still people who contend that Apollo 11 was all shot on a sound-stage.
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But, but, but.... there was a whole movie made about that! You mean it wasn't true?

On a serious note, I'm glad this information comes forth sooner than waiting the usual year or so. Folks need to stop doubting the professional standards these guys adhere to. Their employer may bite but those professionals who are responsible for the lives of their employer's customers... they are top notch and should be regarded as such.
 
No, dude, they were ALL faked. That's why the movie remake of Apollo 13 was so cost-effective. All they had to do was matte in the actors over the previous footage!

Now I'm having a flashback to Dan Akroyd in "Sneakers"... dammit.
 
Thanks for sharing that, Tim.

Exactly what we all hope never happens, and handled with the skill and professionalism we'd all hope to have should it ever occur.
 
Charlie Rose has a long and detailed "Last" interview with Jeffrey Skiles, the First Officer on U.S. Air Flight 1549. The interview is in the third segment of the February 11 show at the 37 minute mark.

Skiles goes into the second by second of how they handled the two engine failure checklist. He also mentions how the crew is handling post-traumatic shock.

As I expected, he mentions they are re-running that 3 minutes over in their minds again and again to convince themselves that they did everything they could do right. (They did. :thumbsup: )

Watch for the show and/or excerpts to be posted online soon: http://www.charlierose.com/
 
Latest update from the NTSB:

The following is an update on the National Transportation
Safety Board's investigation of US Airways flight 1549,
which ditched into the Hudson River on January 15, 2009.
The bird remains found in both engines of US Airways flight
1549 have been identified by the Smithsonian Institution's
Feather Identification Laboratory as Canada Goose (Branta
canadensis).
The lab made the identification for the NTSB through DNA
analysis as well as through morphological comparisons in
which feather fragments were compared with Canada Goose
specimens in the museum's collections; the microscopic
feather samples were compared with reference microslide
collections.
A total of 25 samples of bird remains have been examined as
of today. Additional analysis will be conducted on samples
received from the NTSB to attempt to determine if the Canada
Geese were resident or migratory. While no determination has
been made about how many birds the aircraft struck or how
many were ingested into the engines, an adult Canada Goose
typically ranges in size from 5.8 to 10.7 pounds, however
larger individual resident birds can exceed published
records.
The accident aircraft was powered by two CFM56-5B/P turbofan
engines. The bird ingestion standard in effect when this
engine type was certified in 1996 included the requirement
that the engine must withstand the ingestion of a four-pound
bird without catching fire, without releasing hazardous
fragments through the engine case, without generating loads
high enough to potentially compromise aircraft structural
components, or without losing the capability of being shut
down. The certification standard does not require that the
engine be able to continue to generate thrust after
ingesting a bird four pounds or larger.
NTSB investigators worked closely with wildlife biologists
from the United States Department of Agriculture, both at
the scene of the accident in New York City and during the
engine teardowns at the manufacturer's facility in
Cincinnati, to extract all of the organic material that was
identified today
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.
 
Good sim - but iirc there were cloud layers that day, that could have obscured the view of the geese. The sim had clear skies...
 
I don't care much for the emphasis on the ATCer's feelings of doom. On the other hand, it does serve to elevate Sully's status as a hero.
 
Greebo said:
I don't care much for the emphasis on the ATCer's feelings of doom. On the other hand, it does serve to elevate Sully's status as a hero.
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I watched the controller's testimony and he actually did say all of that, so it's not like the press is making it up.
 
I know - I guess it just sounded to me a little like he was questioning the pilots judgment. I suspect that's more press presentation and not his intention, however.
 
Danos said:
Elaborate? Just curious.
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Well, I didn't really have time to read it before. The article is factual as far as I can tell. I don't have an issue with that.

My issue was with what the controller said. But that is his opinion, I suppose.

Also, some of the things that Sully said, I wish he hadn't because it will be poo poo'd by some people, here and in general, I suppose.

But I don't know what the scope of the hearing is, so...
 
So then, after reading the other NTSB report thread where the "professionals" at the NTSB did such a thorough job, I expect the probable cause here to be:

"The NTSB has determined the probable cause to be the pilot's lack of evasive action and improper attention to the possibility of a bird strike. A contributing factor was the path of the birds and the surface of the Hudson River."
 
Greebo said:
I know - I guess it just sounded to me a little like he was questioning the pilots judgment.
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When I was watching it, it didn't sound like that to me at all. I think he really believed that they wouldn't survive a ditching in the Hudson which is why he kept giving them airport options. He's probably not a pilot and just like many other non-pilots he might have assumed a ditching was not survivable.
 
I copied this from the Beech list. It may or may not be real.

email from Beech list said:
Passenger who was on flight that landed on river
This is a first-hand account from a passenger on Flight 1549. It is an internal memo to the members of his firm. It is very well written, is descriptive, and gives this man's honest reactions to the events around him. It's from a Partner at Heidrick & Struggles, an executive recruiting
firm, who was on Flight 1549. Gerry McNamara (New York/Charlotte) was on US Airways Flight 1549 last week. Here is his account of the event:

Thursday was a difficult day for all of us at the firm and I left the Park Avenue office early afternoon to catch a cab bound for LaGuardia Airport I was scheduled for a 5pm departure, but able to secure a seat on the earlier flight scheduled to leave at 3pm. As many of us who fly frequently
often do, I recall wondering if I'd just placed myself on a flight I shouldn't be on.

Just prior to boarding I finished up a conference call with my associate, Jenn Sparks ( New York ), and our placement, the CIO of United Airlines. When I told him that I was about to board a US Airways flight, we all had a little fun
with it.

I remember walking on the plane and seeing a fellow with grey hair in the cockpit and thinking "that's a good thing... I like to see grey hair in the cockpit!".
I was seated in 8F, on the starboard side window and next to a young business man. The New York to Charlotte flight is one I've taken what seems like hundreds of times over the years. We take off north over the Bronx and as we climb, turn west over the Hudson River to New Jersey and tack south. I love to fly, always have, and this flight plan gives a great view of several NY landmarks including Yankee Stadium and the George Washington Bridge. I had started to point out items of interest to the gentleman next to me when we heard a terrible crash - a sound no one ever wants to hear while flying - and then the engines wound down to a screeching halt.10 seconds later, there was a strong smell of jet fuel. I knew we would be landing and thought the pilot
would take us down no doubt to Newark Airport . As we began to turn south I noticed the pilot lining up on the river - still - I thought - en route for Newark.

Next thing we heard was "Brace for impact!" - a phrase I had heard many years before as an active duty Marine Officer but never before on a commercial air flight. Everyone looked at each other in shock. It all happened so fast we were astonished! We began to descend rapidly and it started to sink in. This is the last flight. I'm going to die today. This is it. I recited my favorite bible verse, the Lord's Prayer, and asked God to take care of my wife, children, family and friends. When I raised my head I noticed people texting their friends and family....getting off a last message. My blackberry was turned off and in my trouser pocket...no time to get at it. Our descent continued and I prayed for courage to control my fear and help if able.

I quickly realized that one of two things was going to happen, neither of them good. We could hit by the nose, flip and break up, leaving few if any survivors, bodies, cold water, fuel. Or we could hit one of the wings and roll and flip with the same result. I tightened my seat belt as tight as I could possibly get it so I would remain intact. As we came in for the landing, I looked out the windows and remember seeing the buildings in New Jersey , the cliffs in Weehawken , and then the piers. The water was dark green and sure to be freezing cold. The stewardesses were yelling in unison: "Brace! Brace! Brace!".

It was a violent hit - the water flew up over my window - but we bobbed up and were all amazed that we remained intact. There was some panic - people jumping over seats and running towards the doors, but we soon got everyone straightened out and calmed down. There were a lot of people that took leadership roles in little ways. Those sitting at the doors over the wing did a fantastic job...they were opened in a New York second! Everyone worked together - teamed up and in groups to figure out how to help each other. I exited on the starboard side of the plane, 3 or 4 rows behind my seat through a door over the wing and was, I believe, the 10th or 12th person out. I took my seat cushion as a flotation device and once outside saw I was the only one who did....none of us remembered to take the yellow inflatable life vests from under the seat.

We were standing in 6-8 inches of water and it was freezing. There were two women on the wing, one of whom slipped off into the water. Another passenger and I pulled her back on and had her kneel down to keep from falling off again. By that point we were totally soaked and absolutely frozen from the icy wind. The ferries were the first to arrive, and although they're not made for rescue, they did an incredible job. I know this river, having swum in it as a boy. The Hudson is an estuary - part salt and part fresh water - and moves with the tide. I could tell the tide was moving out because we were tacking slowly south towards Ellis Island, The Statue of Liberty, and The Battery. The first ferry boat pulled its bow up to the tip of the wing, and the first mate lowered the Jacobs ladder down to us. We got a couple people up the ladder to safety, but the current was strong pushing the stern of the boat into the inflatable slide and we were afraid it would puncture it...there must have been 25 passengers in it by now. Only two or three were able to board the first ferry before it moved away.

Another ferry came up, and we were able to get the woman that had fallen into the water on the ladder, but she just couldn't move her legs and fell off. Back onto the ladder she went; however, the ferry had to back away because of the swift current. A helicopter arrived on station (nearly blowing us all off the wing) and followed the ferry with the woman on the ladder. We lost view of the situation but I believe the helicopter lowered its basket to rescue her. As more ferries arrived, we were able to get people up on the boats a few at a time. The fellow in front of me fell off the ladder and into the water. When we got him back on the ladder he could not move his legs to climb. I couldn't help him from my position so I climbed up the ladder to the ferry deck where the first mate and I hoisted the Jacobs ladder with him on it...when he got close enough we grabbed his trouser belt and hauled him on deck. We were all safely off the wing.

We could not stop shaking. Uncontrollable shaking. The only thing I had with me was my blackberry, which had gotten wet and was not working. (It started working again a few hours later). The ferry took us to the Weehawken Terminal in NJ where I borrowed a phone and called my wife to let her know I was okay. The second call I made was to Jenn. I knew she would be worried about me and could communicate to the rest of the firm that I was fine. At the terminal, first responders assessed everyone's condition and sent people to the hospital as needed. As we pulled out of Weehawken my history kicked in and I recall it was the site of the famous duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr in 1804. Thankfully I left town in better condition than Mr. Hamilton who died of a mortal wound the next day! I stayed with my sister on Long Island that evening, then flew home the next day.

I am struck by what was truly a miracle. Had this happened a few hours later, it would have been pitch dark and much harder to land. Ferries would no longer have been running after rush hour and it would not have been the same uplifting story. Surely there would have been fatalities, hypothermia, an absolute disaster!

I witnessed the best of humanity that day. I and everyone on that plane survived and have been given a second chance. It struck me that in our work we continuously seek excellence to solve our client's leadership problems. We talk to clients all the time about the importance of experience and the ability to execute. Experience showed up big time on Flight 1549 as our pilot was a dedicated, trained, experienced professional who executed flawlessly when he had to.

I have received scores of emails from across the firm and I am so grateful for the outpouring of interest and concern. We all fly a great deal or work with someone who does and so I wanted to share this story - the story of a miracle. I am thankful to be here to tell the tale. There is a great deal to be learned including: Why has this happened to me? Why have I survived and what am I supposed to do with this gift? For me, the answers to these questions and more will come over time, but already I find myself being more patient and forgiving, less critical and judgmental. For now I have 4 lessons I would like to share:

1. Cherish your families as never before and go to great lengths to keep your promises.

2. Be thankful and grateful for everything you have and don't worry about the things you don't have.

3. Keep in shape. You never know when you'll be called upon to save your own life, or help someone else save theirs.

4. When you fly, wear practical clothing. You never know when you'll end up in an emergency or on an icy wing in flip flops and pajamas and of absolutely no use to yourself or anyone else.

And I'd like to add: Fly with gray-haired pilots!
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Simulation Of Hudson Landing, Excellent

Folks - please forgive if this is a repeat, but just saw it today for the first time. Excellent simulation of the event about halfway down the page.

http://venturebeat.com/2009/02/09/s...onstruct-scenes-such-as-sullys-crash-landing/ or HERE

Very well done simulation. Credit to the pilot to be able to block out ATC and concentrate on the flying. Avigate, navigate, communicate.


Admin Dudes - If this needs to be put into an existing thread, that's fine too. Thanks
 
Re: Simulation Of Hudson Landing, Excellent

Pretty amazing recreation.

Cool under fire.
 
The Discovery Channel made an insta-documentary, Hudson Plane Crash - What Really Happened http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-schedules/special.html?paid=1.14594.26019.0.0

I caught it and skimmed it on my TiVo. It looks pretty good. (We have to be careful after that Fossett crash show disaster. This must be a different production company.)

It has one more showing at 10:00 AM (E?) Sunday.
 
I saw the show, and it was (IMHO) very well-done.
 
Some pics of them moving the fuselage
 

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