They didn’t call the successful landing of a U.S. Airways Airbus in the icy waters of the Hudson River a miracle for no reason. The Airbus makes a really lousy seaplane. But that afternoon in January 2009, Capt. Chesley (Sully) Sullenberger and his first officer Jeff Skiles called upon their decades of cockpit experience just minutes after takeoff from New York’s LaGuardia airport, to synthesize a river landing because they saw no other option after both engines quit at 3,000 feet. The pilots were successful in plunking the roughly 160-ton airliner down in the water with barely a ripple to the aluminum skin, and only five of the 155 people on board suffered serious injuries.
Sully Sullenberger Movie Premieres Soon
Key Takeaways:
- The article recounts the "Miracle on the Hudson" in January 2009, when Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and First Officer Jeff Skiles successfully landed a U.S. Airways Airbus in the Hudson River after both engines failed, saving all 155 people on board.
- Director Clint Eastwood's upcoming film "Sully," starring Tom Hanks, will portray the event and explore the subsequent investigation and Sullenberger's critical decision not to attempt a return to LaGuardia airport.
- Sullenberger was plagued by self-doubt and "what ifs" after the incident, although simulator tests later indicated that unprepared pilots could not successfully return the aircraft to the airport, validating his on-the-spot choice.
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