14 years ago, the pilot did the impossible and landed the plane in the middle of the Hudson: how the famous Sally lives now

Sunday marked the 14th anniversary of the Miracle on the Hudson. On January 15, 2009, Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger managed to land US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River near 42nd Street after losing engine power, reports FOX5.

The actions of Sullenberger, as well as the Coast Guard, the FDNY, and more than a dozen ferries, saved the lives of all 155 people on board.

This incredible event turned Sullenberger into a national hero. It even inspired the 2016 biographical drama film Sally, starring Tom Hanks.

Sullenberger, who turns 72 this year, now lives in Northern California. He is no longer a pilot, but works as a public speaker and aviation security expert.

The Airbus A320 that Sullenberger managed to land on that fateful day is now on display at Sullenberger Aviation Museum in North Carolina. The museum, formerly known as the Carolina Aviation Museum, was renamed after Sullenberger in 2022.

The museum will have a permanent exhibit dedicated to the "Miracle on the Hudson", which is expected to open later this year.

What happened January 15, 2009

It seemed to be a normal work day. Experienced pilot Chesley Sullenberger was to fly AWE 1549 on the New York-Charlotte-Seattle route. Departure from New York was scheduled for 15:20 local time.

The flight was carried out on an Airbus A320. The plane did not cause fear. It was released in 1999, regularly received scheduled maintenance and did not cause any complaints.

The co-pilot that day was 49-year-old Jeffrey Skiles. An experienced pilot with 23 years of experience at US Airways flew an A320 for the first time.

In total there were 150 passengers on board, two pilots and three flight attendants.

The liner took to the skies from New York Airport at 15:24. And almost immediately an emergency happened.

Usually all airports have bird scare systems. This prevents birds from colliding with aircraft, which poses a serious danger to flights.

But on this day, the Airbus A320 met a whole flock of geese on its way. The fatal encounter took place just 90 seconds after takeoff. The plane didn't even have time to maneuver to avoid a collision.

It is worth noting that for modern liners, the failure of one engine is not fatal - the plane can fly to its destination on one. But on this day, geese hit both engines, which were out of order.

A moment later, there were thuds, which were heard by the passengers in the cabin. Some even saw the fire through the windows.

Sullenberger reported to the ground that there was an emergency on board, both engines out of action, an emergency landing was needed.

The situation was almost hopeless: since the plane managed to climb only 975 meters, and the metropolis stretched below, there was no headroom, and the engine thrust was rapidly decreasing.

First, the liner commander announced that he would return to New York airport, then said that he would land at the nearby Teterboro airport. Then the connection with him was interrupted. But as the ground controllers noted, Sullenberger remained completely calm, informing them of what had happened.

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When the pilots realized that they would not reach the airport, they turned the liner around and flew over the Hudson River. Soon, the George Washington Bridge rose in front of them, and the pilots miraculously passed one of New York's landmarks.

Chesley Sullenberger made the decision to land the plane on the water. Over the speakerphone, he announced to the passengers: “Prepare to strike! We land on the water. "

The Airbus A320 touched the surface of the water, raising a cloud of spray that covered it for a moment. From the side it seemed that the plane had collapsed or gone to the bottom, but then everyone saw that the liner remained on the surface.

Eyewitnesses watching the plane splash down were shocked - some remembered the September 11 attacks

However, there was still a long way to a successful end. The plane could not stay on the water for a long time, and people had to be rescued. Since it was January, it was dangerous to jump into the water - it threatened people with a repetition of the fate of the passengers of the Titanic, many of whom did not drown, but died from hypothermia in the icy water.

The plane gradually sank into the water. Passengers got out on the plane of the wings and the roof. At this time, everyone who could rush to the A320 - police officers, coast guards, rescuers and simply not indifferent people who had floating crafts - to provide assistance to the victims.

The evacuation took only 24 minutes, which saved the lives of all passengers on the flight and crew members. Chesley Sullenberger, as befits a ship's captain, was the last to leave, bypassing the cabin and making sure there was no one on board.

As a result of this incident, 83 people were injured. Most of the passengers received minor frostbite, and only five were seriously injured while boarding.

Such an incident, as a result of which it was possible to do without casualties, allows us to call it a "miracle on the Hudson."

The plane was towed to a dock near the World Financial Center and then pulled out of the water.