US Airways Flight 1549
This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
Occurrence | |
---|---|
Date | January 15, 2009 |
Summary | Possible bird strike / Emergency water landing |
Site | Hudson River, New York City, United States - Near 48th Street 40°46′10″N 74°00′17″W / 40.769498°N 74.004636°W (approximation) |
Aircraft type | Airbus A320-200 |
Operator | US Airways |
Flight origin | LaGuardia Airport, New York City |
Stopover | Charlotte/Douglas International Airport |
Destination | Seattle-Tacoma International Airport |
Passengers | 148 |
Crew | 5 |
Survivors | 153 (All) |
US Airways Flight 1549 was a flight from LaGuardia Airport in New York City to Charlotte/Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina, then on to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in SeaTac, Washington that ditched shortly after takeoff from New York on January 15. 2009.[1] After a possible bird strike, the Airbus A320 ditched into the Hudson River.[2][3]
Recovery
After the landing the plane stayed afloat, and everyone on board (148 Passengers; 5 crew members) was safely rescued, though there are reported to be several serious injuries.[4][5]
Almost immediately, local ferries began to rescue passengers, some of whom were seen standing on the wings of the plane.[6]
As of 4:55 EST fire crews began to leave the crash site.[7]
Chronology
The plane, ship number 106 (N106US, Airbus A320-214, delivered August 2, 1999), had taken off from LaGuardia Airport at 3:24 PM EST (20:24 UTC) with 148 passengers and five crew members. The plane went down in the Hudson River at 3:31 PM EST (20:31 UTC), near 48th Street in the New York City borough of Manhattan.[8]
As of 4:00 PM EST (21:00 UTC), the plane was floating in the river near the site of the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum, near the site of the Circle Line sightseeing boat and NY Waterway ferry piers, which have participated in the rescue. The station reported that a double bird strike (possibly geese) may have disabled one or both of the plane's engines.[9][10][11] At the time, the temperature of the Hudson River was 42 degrees Fahrenheit (5° C).[12]
A witness stated that the plane approached the water at a gradual angle and made a big splash. From his vantage point in an office building it appeared that the plane wasn't going particularly fast and that it made slow contact with the water. A New Jersey State Police source told CNN the pilot radioed to air traffic controllers that he had experienced a bird strike—when a bird or flock of birds were sucked into the jet engine—and declared an emergency. FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown also said preliminary information indicates a bird strike.[13] The plane was in the air for about three minutes before it went down, the FAA said.[14]
Saint Vincent's Catholic Medical Center in Greenwich Village is the receiving hospital for the incident, to which 25-50 passengers are being taken for care, mostly due to exposure to cold conditions.[15]
The Charlotte to Seattle flight segment was cancelled that day.[citation needed]
References
- ^ "US Airways Flight 1549 Initial Report". US Airways. 2009-01-15. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
- ^ "Plane crashes into Hudson River". WCNC. 2009-01-15. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
- ^ "Airliner down in Hudson River". Chicago Breaking News. 2009-01-15. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
- ^ CBS News Special Report
- ^ FOX News Channel Broadcast
- ^ http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=6606410
- ^ CBS News Special Report
- ^ Staff. "US Airways plane crashes in Hudson River", WABC-TV, January 15, 2009. Accessed January 15, 2009.
- ^ "US Airways Plane Crashes Into Hudson River", WCBS-TV, January 15, 2009. Accessed January 15, 2009.
- ^ http://www.charlotteobserver.com/104/story/474664.html
- ^ http://www.charlotteobserver.com/116/story/474746.html
- ^ http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=6656804&page=1
- ^ "US Airways plane goes down in Hudson River". AP. 2009-01-15. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
- ^ "Airplane in Hudson River after failed takeoff, FAA says", CNN, January 15, 2009. Accessed January 15, 2009.
- ^ WNBC-TV News Special News broadcast