US Airways airplane crashes in Hudson River - Hero pilot Chesley Sullenberger III sav

**min0 lee** · 01-15-2009, 07:23 PM

BY KERRY BURKE, PETE DONOHUE AND CORKY SIEMASZKO
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Updated Thursday, January 15th 2009, 8:16 PM

A former fighter pilot was hailed as the hero of the Hudson after he crash-landed a stricken US Airways jet in the river Thursday - and got everybody out alive.

Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger was still drying off from the ordeal when Mayor Bloomberg sang his praises.

"He did a masterful job of landing the plane in the river," Bloomberg said of the veteran pilot who lives near San Francisco.

With water seeping into the plane, Sullenberger walked up and down the center aisle twice to make sure nobody was left before he fled the jet, the mayor said.

"He was the last one off the plane," Bloomberg said.

Gov. Paterson also praised the ferry boat operators and rescue workers who rushed over as the plane bobbed in the 40-degree water and plucked the passengers off the wings.

"We've had a miracle on the Hudson," Paterson said.

President Bush, whose farewell address was overshadowed by the drama in New York, also weighed in with praise.

"Laura and I are inspired by the skill and heroism of the flight crew as well as the dedication and selflessness of the emergency responders and volunteers who rescued passengers from the icy waters of the Hudson," Bush said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said everybody was accounted for - a group that included at least one baby and a passenger who lost a relative in the Sept. 11 attacks.

Passengers described the scene moments after the plane hit the water as "organized chaos," but said there was little panic as they helped each other reach the exit - allowing women and children to go first.

"It's just incredible right now that everybody's still alive," passenger said Alberto Panero said.

"It was intense, it was intense," added another passenger, Jeff Kolodjay. "You've got to give it to the pilot. He made a hell of a landing."

It was just 20 degrees at the time and shivering survivors were rushed to Roosevelt and other hospitals to be treated for exposure. Most were expected to be released.

Meanwhile, investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board were inspecting the 9-year-old Airbus A320, which was towed to Battery Park City and moored to a bulkhead just north of the World Financial Center.

Sullenberger, a 57-year-old former Air Force fighter pilot and a 29-year veteran of US Airways, told the tower at LaGuardia Airport he hit a flock of geese and it knocked out both of his engines.

It appeared to be the first time in 45 years that a major aircraft crash-landed in the water - and every passenger on board made it out alive.

Former Airbus executive George Hamlin said the pilot deserves a big thank you from the city.

"Ditching an aircraft is a significant accomplishment on the part of the pilot, as opposed to crashing one," he said. "There's no place for an airplane of that size to land in Manhattan."

Flight 1549, bound for Charlotte, N.C., was scheduled to take off at 3:04 p.m from LaGuardia. Many of the passengers were Bank of America bankers heading home.

The plane was on the tarmack for 22 minutes before it took off from Runway Four at 3:26 p.m., the FAA reported.

When it was off the ground, Sullenberger made a left turn and then the plane started to fall from the sky - just three minutes after takeoff, the FAA said.

Sullenberger radioed LaGuardia that he could not make it back to the airport. He said he was ditching the plane in the river.

Back in the cabin, the passengers knew they were in trouble.

"Everyone started saying prayers," Kolodjay said.

Then the intercom cracked and the pilot gave the order. "Prepare for impact," he said.

Seconds later, the jet with approximately 155 passengers and crew members was down and a rescue operation was underway in the water off the Intrepid museum.

In a city that's seen everything, hundreds braved the cold and watched the rescue in slack-jawed amazement from the shoreline.

"It was just going down further and further and further," said Peter Chinchino, of Edgewater, N.J. "I could not believe what I was seeing."

Many witnesses said they thought a movie was being shot, not realizing a real-life drama was being played out.

"I heard a boom and I saw a splash," said Larry Brunson, a car repairman for the LIRR who was at 12th Ave. and 40th St. when the plane went down. "People were grabbing on top of the plane and a wing as it sank."

For others, the falling plane evoked horrible memories of the 9/11 attacks.

"I saw a plane flying really, really low and I just thought, 'Not again,'" one visibly upset witness said.

The feds said there was no evidence of terrorism.

"There is no information at this time to indicate that this is a security-related incident," said Homeland Security press secretary Laura Keehner.

With Alison Gendar, Heidi Evans and Tracy Connor

**soxmuscle** · 01-16-2009, 06:16 AM

Scary.

**I Are Baboon** · 01-16-2009, 06:41 AM

That pilot rules.

**I Are Baboon** · 01-16-2009, 06:52 AM

Pretty cool animation here:

Graphic: New York plane crash - Boston.com

**KelJu** · 01-16-2009, 07:53 AM

That's awesome. That pilot is awesome, too.

**busyLivin** · 01-16-2009, 08:19 AM

Sad thing is that even though the pilot saved the day, the airline is going to be flooded with lawsuits.

**KelJu** · 01-16-2009, 08:22 AM

Originally Posted by busyLivin

Sad thing is that even though the pilot saved the day, the airline is going to be flooded with lawsuits.

Maybe not. I would like to know how the rest of the story pans out.

**tucker01** · 01-16-2009, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by KelJu

Maybe not. I would like to know how the rest of the story pans out.

You kidding.... Parasite lawyers will be contacting each one of these accident victims... selling them on the millions they can make.

**I Are Baboon** · 01-16-2009, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by busyLivin

Sad thing is that even though the pilot saved the day, the airline is going to be flooded with lawsuits.

Originally Posted by IainDaniel

You kidding.... Parasite lawyers will be contacting each one of these accident victims... selling them on the millions they can make.

Hahahahaha...you numbnuts would probably complain about the taxes if won the lottery.

**DOMS** · 01-16-2009, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by I Are Baboon

Hahahahaha...you numbnuts would probably complain about the taxes if won the lottery.

They both have valid points.

**I Are Baboon** · 01-16-2009, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by DOMS

They both have valid points.

Sure they do, but the pilot just saved 155 lives and the only comment from the peanut gallery is "OMG someone's gonna sue!"

**KelJu** · 01-16-2009, 10:53 AM

Peanut gallery, roftcoptor.

**Fetusaurus Rex** · 01-16-2009, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by IainDaniel

You kidding.... Parasite lawyers will be contacting each one of these accident victims... selling them on the millions they can make.

I see this happening, plus the amount of dollars lost in luggage has to be huge...

people could have lost expensive cameras, laptops...ect...ect

**Fetusaurus Rex** · 01-16-2009, 10:59 AM

The Hero Of Flight 1549 - January 15, 2009

CONSPIRACIES ALREADY! hahah who would guess....

I dont even understand this one really....Are they suggesting that the pilot crashed on purpose for his own benefits? Saving the day and moving his career path forward?

I guess this article loses me.

**I Are Baboon** · 01-16-2009, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by Fetusaurus Rex

The Hero Of Flight 1549 - January 15, 2009

CONSPIRACIES ALREADY! hahah who would guess....

I dont even understand this one really....Are they suggesting that the pilot crashed on purpose for his own benefits? Saving the day and moving his career path forward?

I guess this article loses me.

It's tongue in cheek humor.

**Fetusaurus Rex** · 01-16-2009, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by I Are Baboon

It's tongue in cheek humor.

lol then I didnt get that out of it either, I guess I should have read it better than skimming through it

**I Are Baboon** · 01-16-2009, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by Fetusaurus Rex

lol then I didnt get that out of it either, I guess I should have read it better than skimming through it

It's just the guy's resume. No real story there.

**tucker01** · 01-16-2009, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by I Are Baboon

Hahahahaha...you numbnuts would probably complain about the taxes if won the lottery.

We don't get taxed on lottery winnings up here in Canuck land

**busyLivin** · 01-16-2009, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by Fetusaurus Rex

The Hero Of Flight 1549 - January 15, 2009

CONSPIRACIES ALREADY! hahah who would guess....

I dont even understand this one really....Are they suggesting that the pilot crashed on purpose for his own benefits? Saving the day and moving his career path forward?

I guess this article loses me.

Written by BigDyl?

**busyLivin** · 01-16-2009, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by I Are Baboon

Sure they do, but the pilot just saved 155 lives and the only comment from the peanut gallery is "OMG someone's gonna sue!"

Lol, No kidding... welcome to America!

**I Are Baboon** · 01-16-2009, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by IainDaniel

We don't get taxed on lottery winnings up here in Canuck land

Seriously?

**DOMS** · 01-16-2009, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by I Are Baboon

Seriously?

Unless you live in Quebec. Then again, most Canadians won't even admit that Quebec exists.

**tucker01** · 01-16-2009, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by I Are Baboon

Seriously?

For Serious!!

**tucker01** · 01-16-2009, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by DOMS

Unless you live in Quebec. Then again, most Canadians won't even admit that Quebec exists.

C'est who now?

**DOMS** · 01-16-2009, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by IainDaniel

C'est who now?

You know...the crazy place where if you even allow the contest to played that, no matter where the person who actually won lives, the local government gets a slice?

I'd have more luck getting a Trekkie to admit that there was a fifth movie.

**maniclion** · 01-16-2009, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by DOMS

Unless you live in Quebec. Then again, most Canadians won't even admit that Quebec exists.

Is that short for Quebecistan that little French colony between Kyrgyztan and Tajikistan?

**NeilPearson** · 01-16-2009, 02:28 PM

I'll take my mortgage interest as a tax deduction and take my chances with paying taxes on my lottery winnings

**NeilPearson** · 01-16-2009, 02:28 PM

They should sue Canada for training those Canadian Geese to take down the plane.

**min0 lee** · 01-16-2009, 03:25 PM

That plane flew close to my house.

**min0 lee** · 01-16-2009, 04:00 PM

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