On this historical day, January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 performed a miraculous emergency touchdown in the Hudson River.
The maneuver occurred shortly after the US Airways Airbus A320 aircraft left LaGuardia Airport in New York City for Charlotte, North Carolina.
In 1999, Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and first officer Jeffrey Skiles manned the plane in the US Airways, which was newly delivered.
According to simpleflying.Com, both aviators had sufficient flying expertise at the moment.
As a former military aviator, Sullenberger had accumulated almost 20,000 hours of flight time, which comprised of 4,756 hours on the A320.
Skiles, who was a recently relocated pilot to the plane, had over 20,000 hours of flight time in total.
According to simpleflying.Com, the flight departed as scheduled from Queens, New York, at 3:26 p.M. In 2009.
Shortly after departure — approximately 4.5 miles from the airport — the aircraft was encountered by a group of Canadian geese.

The large group of birds flew into the pilots’ field of view, while some of the geese were ingested into the engines.
Both engines were immediately affected upon collision when the aircraft was at an altitude of slightly below 3,000 feet.
With a composed and rational response and fast decision-making, Sullenberger assumed command of the airplane, which Skiles had piloted during departure.
Sullenberger initiated the auxiliary power unit, also known as the APU, which is responsible for providing air pressure and operating an electric generator. This occurred when the aircraft began its glide descent 19 seconds after the collision, as reported by simpleflying.Com.
While attempts to restart the main engines failed, Sullenberger made a mayday call only 22 seconds after the birds struck the plane.

A recording of the radio communication from the cockpit reveals that Sullenberger calmly conveyed the incident.
“This is Cactus 1549, collided with birds,” he stated.
“We’ve lost power on both engines. We’re heading back towards LaGuardia.”
Air Traffic Control quickly provided alternatives for an urgent touchdown at LaGuardia, but Sullenberger estimated that the aircraft wouldn’t succeed.
Instead, the pilots requested authorization to touch down at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey — and were granted approval to land on Runway 1.

Sullenberger realized that the only option would be to land the A320 aircraft in an emergency on the River Hudson, which connects New Jersey and New York, flying only 900 feet above the George Washington Bridge.
“We might land in the Hudson,” the pilot communicated via radio.
Air Traffic Control continued providing support while Sullenberger and Skiles prepared for a water landing.
“We are unable to accomplish it,” Sullenberger replied to the available choices for landing.
“We will be located in the Hudson.”
The aircraft ditched in the Hudson River at 3:31 p.M. The flight only lasted a total of five minutes, according to simpleflying.Com.

The 155 airplane passengers were moved onto the wings and emergency slides for evacuation.
According to simpleflying.Com, the aircraft had ample life vest supplies and the evacuation slides were detachable and could be utilized as rafts, indicating that it was prepared for long-distance travel over water.
According to New York Waterway, nearby vessels swiftly moved to rescue passengers from the water.
The U.S. Coast Guard and FDNY (New York City Fire Department) were able to save the 12 remaining passengers and crew members, while Fourteen New York Waterway ferries responded and rescued a total of 143 passengers.
According to its website, New York Waterway regards it as the “most prosperous marine rescue in aviation history.”
Many passengers could have suffered or died from the effects of hypothermia if noted experts did not respond as quickly as they did and had crews ferry them.
All 155 people aboard the plane that survived the landing were safely removed from the aircraft and the water after only 24 minutes of ditching at 3:55 p.M.