Look closely in the upper right, and you can see the plane as it was approaching the river.
It’s been 17 years since the world was captivated by an unbelievable aviation “miracle” in New York.
Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III and co-pilot Jeffrey Skiles prepared to take off on a routine flight from LaGuardia to Charlotte, North Carolina.
It was a clear, cold day on January 15, 2009, when US Airways flight 1549, with five crew members and 150 passengers, took off at 3:25 p.m.
Skiles was in control of the flight when he and Sully saw a flock of Canada Geese flying into their path.
A millisecond later, the birds slammed into the plane, severely damaging both engines, causing an almost complete loss of thrust.
Sully took over the controls and, while communicating with his co-pilot and air traffic control, made many crucial decisions. Repeated attempts to restart the engines were unsuccessful, and they had mere seconds to determine the best course of action, including not trying to glide to either of the nearest airports.
He told air traffic control that they were landing in the Hudson.
Capt. Chesley Sullenberger never saw himself as a hero.
Four minutes after take-off at approximately 3:29 p.m., Sully announced over the intercom, “This is the captain. Brace for impact.”
The plane landed flat on the river, but was damaged and began filling with icy water. The crew made sure everyone got out, with Sully making a couple of passes from front to back before he was the last to disembark.
Famously, many passengers stood on the wings, while others huddled into life rafts.
Luckily, boats, helicopters, and rescuers from both New York and New Jersey were on the scene within a couple of minutes, plucking one struggling woman from the water and helping others step safely from the plane’s wings before it sank deeper into the river.
Five people, including a flight attendant who’d been in the back of the plane, were seriously injured, but there were no fatalities.
Sully’s 45 years of piloting experience and out-of-the-box actions saved 155 people that day. Everyone called him a hero, but he was uncomfortable with that label, instead giving credit to his crew, the passengers, and the rescuers for the success that day.
This story never gets old and is a reminder that smart, clear-minded people can do amazing things.
