U.S Airways Plane Crashes in Hudson River. NYC

[Matt Olieman]

NEW YORK--A small plane carrying more than a dozen people splashed down in the frigid waters of the Hudson River off Manhattan Thursday and survivors were seen standing on the wings awaiting rescue, Reuters witnesses said.

It was not clear what caused the plane to go down. It was floating on the surface of the fast-moving river and ferries were seen approaching to rescue passengers.

http://mycockpit.org/images/crash/USAIRWAYS01152009-4-31-40PM.png

http://mycockpit.org/images/crash/USAIRWAYS01152009-4-01-40PM.png

[dnoize]

An a320

No casualties appearently.

Theres talk of dual engine failure after hitting a flock of geese

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/us_world/Plane-Crashes-in-Hudson-River.html

http://edition.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=stream1



Stef



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[BHawthorne]

Um, wow. What's surprising me most is the plane is still floating somewhat even now after a few hours after it happened.

[No Longer Active]

So glad everyone survived, just shows the real skill and training of the pilots and crew! Just seen the footage on BBC news, everyone is stranded on the wings!

Im just glad knowone was killed!

[BHawthorne]

NEW YORK--A small plane...

Erm, that reporter sure as an odd idea of what a small plane is... :roll:

[No Longer Active]

Says the reporter with 1 inch thick glasses! lol:)

[choffmann]

I can recall only one accident, where a commercial airplane successfully landed on water and it´s many years back in the caribbean. That plane run out of fuel. - This US airways pilot is really an expert.

[BHawthorne]

Of all the things that occured in this, I'd almost not call it a crash. I'd call it a controlled water landing. Crash makes it sound a lot worse than it ended up.

[Michael Carter]

Same here. I wouldn't call it a crash at all. More like one of those rare water landing the FA's speak of in your pax briefing..."in the unlikely event of a water-landing..."

Read as: "in the unlikely event our flight turns into a river cruise..." :D

Glad everyone was safe. Heck of a landing too.

[flightdeck]

Let's say it that way:
An outstanding American pilot in combination with solid European craftsmanship and a huge effort by 155 guardian angels ... or more.
But still an amazing outcome.

[warvet]

Their so called news aviation EXPERT spent 30 minutes talking about how it was a Small plane Embrarer type CRJ :) and this type aircraft frequents the eastern Seaboard routes daily. When asked about exits he says well it holds about 140-160 pax and usually has 2-3 exits. I was laughing my *** off cause the plane was clear as day on screen and it was an obvious airbus LOL. Yup got to love those Small plane crashes oops erm I mean water landings.Im surprised he didnt call it a Ferry LOL

Tim

[Geremy Britton]

LOL Tim!:D

And yes contrary to what others say it was an Airbus A320. Double engine failure. Hit multiple gese. Only airborne 6 mins. Made excellent landing. everyone survived.

This even reminds me of the last even back at heathrow about 9 months ago now i think. At which everyone also survived!

I think air travel is becoming increasingly safer even in emergencies, with increasing air crash reports so that every even never happens again. And every event is dealt with extremely well as a result of crew training.

[No Longer Active]

There is alot of hype over this 'well done pilot' thing, as if he's done something amazing and people saying 'its a miracle' everyone is alive etc etc etc.....

To be honest, he just done his job and done his job well, he just done what he was supposed to do and acted on the situation in the correct way and in the safest way possible, the pilot 'isnt' amazing, he just done what he was supposed to do, theres nothing miraculous about it, the situation was resolved casualty free because the training is correct and the pilot was fully trained, in my eyes every airbus pilot that was trained to carryout that flight should of had the same outcome, and if they didnt have the same outcome then there would be something wrong with their qualification in terms of being able to carry out that emergency procedure, which in my eyes the pilot 'landed' the aircraft on the water, the aircraft didnt crash, if it was a crash then the aircraft wouldnt be in the state it is now, dont people get it?, that's why so many pilots get annoyed with this praise thing, pilots dont want the praise, because to them its just apart of their job training, its what they have learnt, it just shows their proficiency and professionalism.

All i say to this is, the pilot done his job and done it well!

Again this is my personal opinion and id be worried if a pilot couldnt land a plane on water!

[Geremy Britton]

Can i just say too, that's rubblish. To cope with an extreme emergency such as multiple bird strikes is a very distressing procedure for any pilot to handle. This strike happened only 3 minutes into the flight which makes the plane at a critical stage in needing all the power it can get to stay aloft. To have both engines wiped out is, to be honest, is a pilot's worst nightmare. Although it is simulated in training - such conditions as what was given yesterday was pushing the pilot's boundaries to the absolute limit in having any oportunity to save their life.

If you're suggesting a pilot is not a good pilot if they can't land a plane on water successfully you are sorely mistaken. This is not the case at all! Captain abate strings to mind, look it up. As a result of hijacking, forced to make a water landing, not quite level on touchdown with water - people lost lives. He was still a legendary pilot though! Receiveing one of the highest honours of bravery and airmanship a commercial pilot can receive.

Dealing with such things like that is not something you come into work one day and expect - so therefore to bring that plane on a water landing successfully and not one person getting injured is truly phenomenal.

And as far as i'm concerned every passenger on that plane will be oweing their thanks dearly to the pilot and crew of the airbus.

So to oppose your view alex, i think a huge amount of thanks is owed because YES he has done an amazing thing (You see how many water landings are successfull) and YES is it a miracle everyone lives. So i think we should be making a big deal out of it. If i were on that plane i'd be saying thank you.

Regards.

[dodiano]

There is alot of hype over this 'well done pilot' thing, as if he's done something amazing and people saying 'its a miracle' everyone is alive etc etc etc.....

To be honest, he just done his job and done his job well, he just done what he was supposed to do and acted on the situation in the correct way and in the safest way possible, the pilot 'isnt' amazing, he just done what he was supposed to do, theres nothing miraculous about it, the situation was resolved casualty free because the training is correct and the pilot was fully trained, in my eyes every airbus pilot that was trained to carryout that flight should of had the same outcome, and if they didnt have the same outcome then there would be something wrong with their qualification in terms of being able to carry out that emergency procedure, which in my eyes the pilot 'landed' the aircraft on the water, the aircraft didnt crash, if it was a crash then the aircraft wouldnt be in the state it is now, dont people get it?, that's why so many pilots get annoyed with this praise thing, pilots dont want the praise, because to them its just apart of their job training, its what they have learnt, it just shows their proficiency and professionalism.

All i say to this is, the pilot done his job and done it well!

Again this is my personal opinion and id be worried if a pilot couldnt land a plane on water!

Dude... You have no IDEA on what you are talking about... There is no training for water landings?? I fly the A-320 You have no IDEA how hard is to fly a FLY BY WIRE plane with dead engines.... And of course any plane with no Engines.... We are not trained for situations like these... I am amazed on this Captain and he is a true Hero and has amazing Flying skills the Dual engine failures that we train on ( I think I've done it once) they are not that low normally the scenario is at FL 300 or something like that enough time to restart an engine or try to do something about it... Not to mention that you have a Gliding distance at that altitude....

This guy had seconds to react from what I read apparenttly one of the engines caught fire not sure on this one and they would not have time to steer back to the airport impossible at that Altitude...

This Captain saw the river and didn't think much about it he basically flew it dead stick for a couple of seconds till the RAT deployed and got back his controls... Then you had the fire on the engine which the co-pilot had to be fighting it... Actually what this guy did was Trully amazing I have never heard of a single succesfull water landing and this guy pulled it out perfectly!! The plane did not break, no one was hurt?? What this guy did is trully amazing and a miracle God's hand was with him all the time... Not al pilots have skill buddy I am sorry to tell you that... The automation on the plane helps a lot and this guy he had skills he is a True Hero and an amazing Pilot... This is not a matter of training I have never trained for a Scenario where they shut my engines and I have to land on water we don't train for water landings... This is was pure Skills good Rudder and stick flying and a lot of experience!!

Regards,

Roberto

[magicaldr]

From the BBC:
"Although the likelihood of a waterborne landing is remote, all commercial pilots must undergo training for such an eventuality before qualifying."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7833317.stmThis does not detract from the achievement. To pull off a landing in a damaged aircraft full of passengers with virtually no preparation time is stunning.

I would be interested to know if the river is written up anywhere as an emergency ditching point for failed approach/takeoff scenarios? Looking at the sat photos, there is a lot of buildings and not much space to land something that big. Again sounds like a pilot thinking on his feet.

Is he a hero, or just a guy doing his job? In my mind he is clearly a hero, no amount of training means you will know you will react the right way. When it hit the fan (pun intended) this guy and his crew kept their heads and that is heroic. As the mayor quoted:


Mr Bloomberg said the writer Ernest Hemingway defined heroism as "grace under pressure".Hats off to a great pilot and his team, not forgetting the rescue guys / boats who ensured that even after the landing no one died.

[andarlite]

Here what other pilots have to say about this:


To turn the aircraft and then land it without it breaking apart was "something that can't be taught," said Barry Schiff, a retired airline pilot who is now an aviation safety consultant in Camarillo.

"If the plane's nose was a little higher or lower, it could have been a disaster," he added, noting that if either wing tipped to one side and hit the water, the plane would have done cartwheels down the river.

But just three minutes after takeoff from La Guardia, with little time to consult checklists dictating how to prepare the aircraft for a water landing, and with warnings probably sounding in the cockpit, Sullenberger managed a perfect shot into the water.

"He just used the seat of his pants on this," Schiff said. "I would love to shake his hand someday."

Water landings are rare. Airline pilots said that they didn't recall specific training about what to do in an incident where they were forced to land on water in an aircraft without power from its engines, also known as a "dead stick" landing.

"I don't recall any specific training toward this particular situation -- in other words, this situation where almost immediately after takeoff you get a foreign object ingestion and it takes your power out immediately," said Mack Moore, a 747-400 pilot who retired from United Airlines five years ago and is a consultant to the Air Line Pilots Assn., which represents 53,000 pilots in the U.S. and Canada.

Although the specifics vary by airline, pilots receive several hours of training each year regarding water landings and evacuation procedures in which they review accidents that occurred on water, said Jon Russell, a commercial pilot and regional safety officer for the Air Line Pilots Assn.

Most training for what's known as "ditching" an aircraft in water assumes that a pilot has a good amount of altitude between the aircraft and the water so they have time to prepare for touching it down.

They follow checklists, including one probably stored electronically in the Airbus A320's cockpit.

Depending on the airline, pilots also do simulator training every six months to a year in which they may practice water landings, said Capt. Rory Kay, a commercial pilot who serves as air safety chairman for the Air Lines Pilot Assn.

"You just have to hope the techniques you're practicing in the simulators end up being what happens when you end going in the water," Kay said.
Regards,
Henry

[dnoize]

... Actually what this guy did was Trully amazing I have never heard of a single succesfull water landing and this guy pulled it out perfectly!! The plane did not break, no one was hurt?? What this guy did is trully amazing and a miracle God's hand was with him all the time...

Have to second Roberto and 737Gez here.

I dont know of ANY other succesfull water ditching, where the plane didnt break and without any casualties. The only other semi-succesfull i know of was the hijacked boeing where the plane broke apart with many casualties.

Al other ditchings i know of ended up in disaster.

This is NOT a scenario that is trained for !

This was a truly amazing landing, from a highly experience captain and glider pilot.



Stef


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[tomenglish2000]

I have to respectfully disagree with you Alex.

Although I have never done it I would expect landing on water to be one of the most challenging manoeuvres a pilot could be expected to accomplish. Even if they are trained for the eventuality they still have to get it right first time. No second chance. High pressure, high speed, high stress. The pilots of this airliner are in my view amongst the finest in the world. That is not to say that others are not as good either, perhaps there are better, but I expect not one would want to be placed in a situation where they have to prove otherwise. The pilots who landed the BA 777 at Heathrow are another example, exceptional piloting in a situation that is extremely unlikely.
The pilots who claim that they are just doing there job and that it was what anyone would have done are correct and polite in there modesty, but still deserve everyone's respect and praise.

I doff my hat at the pilots who landed that plane. They are welcome to fly my right seat any time! :D

Rant over. Tom.

[dnoize]

interesting picture:

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2009/01/15/us/16plane_12a.jpg

tracking of the flight:

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/AWE1549/history/20090115/2004Z/KLGA/KCLT

impact: fake ? real ?

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-182512#

Stef


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[Matt Olieman]

I have to respectfully disagree with you Alex.
Rant over. Tom.

And I agree with you Tom. One of the first thing they tell in flight school, if you have to ditch the plane, don't do it in water.

There is a lot skill that went behind that landing in the Hudson.

Matt Olieman

[Gsey]

Any landing that an airliner makes is miraculous. Im still in awe just watching them get off the ground :-)

This pilot should have rose petals thrown at his feet for the rest of his life. The F/O as well. What they were able to achieve I dont believe we will see again in our lifetime.

[Westozy]

If it had been a Boeing, all the birds sucked into the engines would have been redirected through to the galley and served as Duck LÓrange!!! Hahahahaha!

[Gsey]

oh oh,, someones been flying Qantas Again :-)

[Trevor Hale]

If it had been a Boeing, all the birds sucked into the engines would have been redirected through to the galley and served as Duck LÓrange!!! Hahahahaha!

Hilarious Gwyn...

[dnoize]

actual footage of the ditching and the evac.

Ditching around 2nd minute, coming in from the left.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=9e6_1232166872

Stef


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[Matt Olieman]

I can't begin to tell you the emotions that come over me when I see that video. Absolutely amazing how fast those people got out and the amazing response from those ferries.

Matt Olieman

[dodiano]

AMAZING!! The ditching was perfect!! Current was strong!!! AMAZING Flying skills! All my respects to the Captain and Co-Pilot!!

[airbus319]

Respect to the flight crew, it's not easy to ditch an aircraft with the engines mounted under the wings but this team got it spot on.

I'm amazed how quickly the ferry crews came to the rescue, it's good to see in this crazy world how people still care.

In my book the full crew (flight and Cabin) are heroes, it takes a lot to get well over 100 people out of a plane in minimal time, the ferry crews are stars as well as they came to the rescue and eliminated the final element of danger for the survivors on the wings.

[PDT 200]

Don't know if you saw this in the news, from a hospital bed a passenger was describing the events and then pulled back covers and he was wearing the Capt's shirt. The Capt. had given this man his shirt to help keep him warm after being in the water. Flying the aircraft and ditching it without lose of life, being the last off making sure everyone else was off and then giving up his shirt to further help a passenger, HERO no doubt about it.
Regards,
Brian

[dnoize]

some more actual footage of the landing from a different angle:

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/bcvideo/1.0/iframe/bcArtIframe.html?z=0&videoId=1231545545224



stef



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[Geremy Britton]

Here's a good video on the run through of events leading upto the crash.
A simulator reanactment shows in detail the event.

http://www.wikio.co.uk/video/775754

[Geremy Britton]

*THERE IS AN AIR CRASH INVESTIGATION DOCUMENTARY ON CHANNEL 4+1 STARTING IN 5 MINS INVESTIAGING THE EVENTS AND RECOUNTS OF THE RECENT PLANE CRASH INTO THE HUDSON*

Note: unless anyone else can pick this up, this is for UK residents only.

Channel 4+1 everyone!

[Jake 747 400]

Im watching it right now.
Jake

[airbus319]

I've got the program in xvid format but I'm not sure how to compress it for upload to the video server, any tips anyone?