USAirways Plane Lands In The Hudson River

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Off Topic
Posted on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 03:20:42 PM EST
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NYTimes:

A USAirways plane that took off at 3:26 p.m. from La Guardia Airport landed in the Hudson River five minutes later, where it remains mostly submerged. Ferries and other boats converged to help with a rescue effort, as the plane drifted south. There was no immediate information about the 151 people on board.

According to Channel 4 television news, the plane, US Airways flight 1549, took off from LaGuardia Airport at 3:26 p.m. was bound for Charlotte, N.C. and had 146 passengers and 5 crew members. The plane, which made it to a height of 3,600 feet, may have hit a flock of birds, according to the report, and then plummeted. The pilot tried to return to the airport when the plane fell into the Hudson.

[Update (TL): video removed, link no longer worked.]

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USAirways Plane Lands In The Hudson River | 47 comments (47 topical)

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Well That Explains It (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by squeaky on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 03:26:45 PM EST

I still get panicked from excessive sirens since 9/11. The sirens have been going crazy for the last hour or so.

Geez (5.00 / 1) (#4)
by andgarden on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 03:27:03 PM EST

As an occasional and apprehensive USAir flyer (Philly is a hub), I have to point out that it was once Allegheny Airlines (Pittsburgh based) and unbelovedly nicknamed "Agony Air." That was before they started charging for soda.

Good luck to all on board.

: Your still safer (5.00 / 1) (#25)
by SOS on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 04:35:08 PM EST

in the hands of commercial flight then any given moment driving on most freeways.

Jesus H.... (5.00 / 2) (#5)
by kdog on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 03:27:43 PM EST

the office is abuzz with this story...I hope the rescuers are on the ball cuz people won't last long in that frigid water.

NPR sez (5.00 / 3) (#8)
by liminal on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 03:32:18 PM EST

some reports suggest that everyone on board has now been evacuated - which is very good news!


I Actually Saw the Plane Come Down (5.00 / 7) (#29)
by The Maven on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 04:41:38 PM EST

and, quite frankly, it was wholly undramatic -- or at least as much that a commercial jet landing in the Hudson River directly in front of your eyes can be (I was in a colleague's office, facing toward the river, and saw the plane come down right in my field of view). My first thought was that it was a military transport of some sort engaging in a low-altitude fly-by of the Intrepid, but it was too close to the water and still gliding down. It then touched the water so smoothly and came to a stop within barely 100-150 yards; it basically resembled a giant seaplane that almost belonged on the water, except of course it didn't.

Even more than the regular rescuers, one of the NY Waterway ferries was already zipping toward the plane in probably under 30 seconds, and arrived at the floating aircraft a couple of minutes later -- long, long before any of the ordinary rescue crafts appeared on the scene. By the time they did, there were already at least five of the ferries right next to the fuselage, which was no longer sitting completely on top of the water. So aside from the seemingly great piloting, the ferry company, too, should be commended for getting there so quickly. Given the air and water temperature, that may have prevented a lot of folks from suffering from hypothermia and/or exposure.


Wow.... (5.00 / 5) (#36)
by kdog on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 06:07:38 PM EST

a woman I work with is a pilot, she said that pilot kicked some serious arse in the clutch.

And the ferries rocked getting there so fast...saved a lot of suffering if not lives.

It is so heartwarming when people come together and rise to a challenge and save the day...heartwarming and reassuring.


Agreed on all points. (none / 0) (#42)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 06:47:04 PM EST

As to the last one, why does it always take a moment of crisis for it to happen? If only that could happen each and everyday.


: It does. (none / 0) (#48)
by Fabian on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 08:39:07 PM EST

They don't all end up with Breaking News banners.

You should make a point of sharing your (5.00 / 2) (#37)
by scribe on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 06:09:45 PM EST

observations with the NTSB, as they can always use more witness statements.

Seriously.


Figures its Laguardia... (none / 0) (#6)
by kdog on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 03:29:36 PM EST

the runways there are notoriously short, leaving little room for error.


This had not too much to do with LGA (5.00 / 1) (#13)
by scribe on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 03:54:28 PM EST

seeing as how the plane landed in the Hudson (near the Intrepid, even with mid-town) and that's on Manhattan's west side, while LGA is in Queens on the East River, on Manhattan's east side.

It looks, to all appearances from the reports I've seen, that this is the result of the plane hitting a flock of geese and wiping out its engines.

A nice piece of piloting, as it appears the pilot made a controlled ditching - something they don't teach pilots live and something the manufacturers don't test with real planes.

Appears to have been a nice response by all the ferries (the blocky white-over-blue boats with lots of windows), a Circle Line tour boat, the police and fire departments and the Coast Guard.

Could have picked a warmer day for a swim, though. Weather in NYC is about 20 deg. F and that means the paler parts of the water you might see in the video are ... slush.


: You right man.... (none / 0) (#38)
by kdog on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 06:10:32 PM EST

I assumed when all I heard was Laguardia and a plane in the water. We had that one years back that just slid off the runway into the water.

Burbank. My favorite airport. (none / 0) (#51)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Jan 16, 2009 at 11:56:36 AM EST

One of the rescuers (none / 0) (#18)
by Steve M on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 04:01:31 PM EST

says he didn't even see any passengers in the water, which is just amazing, and very fortunate for them.


It's cooold out there. . . (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by andgarden on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 03:31:19 PM EST

Amazing (5.00 / 4) (#9)
by squeaky on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 03:37:24 PM EST

That there are no deaths, or even serious injuries. Also amazing that a commercial plane could land on the Hudson. Great piloting.

That is amazing... (5.00 / 2) (#11)
by kdog on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 03:39:36 PM EST

Great job by the emergency personnel...at least some of those tax dollars we pay are being put to good use.


MSNBC reports FAA says (5.00 / 5) (#15)
by scribe on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 03:58:10 PM EST

everyone off and safe.

Nice work, people!


: Just last week (none / 0) (#35)
by talesoftwokitties on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 05:13:49 PM EST

there was a report that there had been no air fatalities in either 2007 or 2008. When I first read the report, I thought -oh,oh-Jinx.
Very happy the string continues.

Amazing (5.00 / 5) (#22)
by SOS on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 04:30:24 PM EST

These pilots truly pulled off a miracle.

: Brilliant (5.00 / 4) (#31)
by gyrfalcon on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 04:44:29 PM EST

Apparently, the only way you can do an emergency landing with this plane without having it break up is on the mid-belly with a nose-up angle, and that's just what they pulled off.

It was Osama Bird Laden and (5.00 / 2) (#32)
by steviez314 on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 04:50:00 PM EST

his cadre of Canadian Geese.

Let's bomb Iran. Quick, we still have 'til Tuesday!

Quick (5.00 / 3) (#34)
by SOS on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 04:54:44 PM EST

run over to congress and grab another $50 Billion for a war on geese!


: Thanks for tthat (none / 0) (#50)
by sj on Fri Jan 16, 2009 at 09:32:09 AM EST

It's hysterical.

Not too often (5.00 / 2) (#43)
by CoralGables on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 07:02:18 PM EST

a pilot can crash and be seen as a hero, but to land a commercial jet in the Hudson and have it remain structurally intact and floating in 20 degree weather long enough to get everyone out and safe...that's just awesome.

What a job (5.00 / 4) (#46)
by jimakaPPJ on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 07:47:27 PM EST

The pilot kept the nose down long enough to keep it from stalling out and then flared it up just right to put it in down straight and with the nose probably 5 degrees up... Look under cool in the dictionary and you will see the Pilot, CoPilot and Flight Attendants pictures. What a job.

This is why I like America. (5.00 / 2) (#47)
by Fabian on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 08:36:25 PM EST

Not the crash landing, but the great response and especially not waiting for the official First Responders to show up.

Linky no worky... (none / 0) (#1)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 03:23:40 PM EST

: Nevamind... (none / 0) (#2)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 03:24:11 PM EST

Heard it was a flock of geese (none / 0) (#10)
by jbindc on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 03:38:57 PM EST

that brought the plane down.

Yes (none / 0) (#12)
by squeaky on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 03:41:04 PM EST

Sucked into the flaming engine, ground up and roasted to a crisp.


If that's all ilt takes (none / 0) (#14)
by sj on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 03:55:10 PM EST

why doesn't this happen more often?


Jet engines (5.00 / 1) (#17)
by indy in sc on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 04:01:18 PM EST

are designed to take up to a certain size of bird (I think up to the size of a Canadian goose depending on the size of the jet). Sometimes birds will fly into the engine and not cause the plane any harm. I learned all this at a products liabilty CLE a couple of years ago.

Also, apparently if there is known bird activity, the air traffic tower will not let a flight take off until they clear out.


No they are not (5.00 / 1) (#20)
by SOS on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 04:28:20 PM EST

designed to ingest ANYTHING.

Runways and taxiways are constantly swept and inspected for debris.

Bird strikes are rare and airports constantly monitor birds and report any problems to the cockpit.


: And, at our our airport (none / 0) (#23)
by eric on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 04:31:25 PM EST

MSP, they are always capturing the geese that hang out near the airport.

: A lot of military airports (none / 0) (#27)
by gyrfalcon on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 04:41:11 PM EST

and many Canadian and a few U.S. have falconers who periodically chase the gulls and geese etc. from around the airports.

Airports (5.00 / 1) (#24)
by SOS on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 04:33:09 PM EST

monitor birds and wildlife in the area as standard procedure. Delayed takeoffs due to birds is more common then bird strikes.


2nd crash within a month... (none / 0) (#16)
by magster on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 04:00:33 PM EST

...with no fatalities. (DIA, Continental Airlines last month).

They could have picked a warmer day (none / 0) (#19)
by scribe on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 04:13:27 PM EST

but, from the video I've seen it appears they've got everything from a Circle Line tour boat, to a couple of the local ferries, to Coast Guard, NYPD, and who knows whom else on the scene.

It looks like a controlled landing in the water near the Intrepid, i.e., the pilot ditched successfully. And MSNBC interviewed a passenger (via phone) who said everyone inside was ready when the pilot indicated they should brace for impact.

I guess that means one should pay attention to that safety briefing, huh?

I was thiniking about that (5.00 / 1) (#21)
by eric on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 04:30:09 PM EST

When they give you that line about where your flotation device is "in the case of a water landing". I always think, "yeah, right" like we could live through crashing into the water.


Guy who saw this from (5.00 / 3) (#30)
by gyrfalcon on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 04:42:46 PM EST

an office window said the second the plane it, all the tugs and ferries, etc., immediately shot out from their piers towards the plane. Amazing none of them crashed into each other, but incredibly heartening that nobody waited for orders but just went as fast as they could.


Code of the sea - (5.00 / 1) (#39)
by scribe on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 06:12:00 PM EST

always go immediately to help.

Otherwise, just another Thursday afternoon in Noo Yawk City.


: They said the commuters (5.00 / 2) (#45)
by gyrfalcon on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 07:07:00 PM EST

on the ferries all pitched in to help get the plane people on board, loaned them coats, fed them coffee, etc. What an incredible scene.

At 6pm (none / 0) (#26)
by Steve M on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 04:36:02 PM EST

Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Paterson are expected to hold a press conference. Apparently the pilot of the plane will be there with them.

If drivers were as well (none / 0) (#28)
by SOS on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 04:41:30 PM EST

trained and professional as Airline Transport Certificate Pilots we'd hardly have any accidents on the roadways.

Incredible that there are no more than a (none / 0) (#33)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 04:52:02 PM EST

few injuries. If that.

That said, BTD, can you remove the live feed now that it's over?

TL has been running agonizingly slow since you put it up...