USAirways airbus makes emergency landing Hudson River

Below is kind of hard to follow, but it’s me typing periodically from the time of the crash and throughout the night…

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How many times have we heard the safety speech at the start of each flight about what to do during a water landing? Pay attention, folks!  It’s possible.

image from rescue efforts

example of AirBus 320 (same model as one flown  in crash)

…but it is a copy of an Airbus A320

I’ll update this post more as I learn more…

…but I’m watching the NBC Special Report that interrupted Ellen (then CNN later).  They’re not sure of the exact path (origin-destination) of this USAirways flight, but they’re guessing LaGuardia to Charlotte.  I’ve been status on this airlines for years and my hubby is chairman preferred so it’s just unsettling, naturally, as we prepare to fly to DC this coming weekend.  At the same time, things like this can happen at any time on any airline.

Flight 1549 en route from LaGuardia to Charlotte

146 passengers (estimate) 155 passengers including 2 pilots, 3 flight attendants

Airbus A320 (used for regional flights)

prelim report was pilot reported a double bird strike caused both engines to fail (confirmed later in evening)

Left LaGuardia airport coming from the north heading south down the middle of the Hudson River

eyewitnesses credit pilot for smooth landing given circumstances

entire fuselage intact (no plane parts seemed to have broken prior to or upon crash landing)

early reports is that pilot declared emergency and was aiming for runway likely Teterboro Airport in Jersey

aircraft went down in Hudson River around midtown and currently drifting downstream (4pm reported near Chelsea Piers area) at approx 2-3 knots (1 knot = 1 nautical mile per hour)

not sure if anyone is still on the plane, but plane has taken in minimal water, staying afloat which is helping with rescue efforts

flight took off at 3:26pm, was in air for 6 mins before crash, reached about 3200 feet before emergency landing

Rescue 1, Rescue 5, Ladder 3 verified on the scene

Passengers beginning to come ashore, a passenger quoted “all passengers made it off the plane”

passengers made sure that injured, disabled, women and children got off first

4:15pm…passengers in process of reuniting with family/friends

pilot called out on flight “brace for impact”

4:37pm…plane is currently sinking into Hudson River, rear of aircraft was the first to take in water, reportedly authorities opened front doors (rear doors near wing already open) to help it to sink into water

water temperature is approx 32.5 degrees

4:44pm…I’m offline for now.  Will clean up post later or replace with full report.

Thank God this seems to have ended with the best possible outcome…everyone survived.  Kudos to the pilot(s) for putting their training into action and facilitating a relatively safe emergency landing and the flight crew for a remarkably smooth exit to safety.

10pm…everyone evacuated from plane

most released from hospitals, mild hypothermia was most common treatment, few minor injuries

1am…Airbus 320 weighs 81 tons!

air temperature at time of landing was 21 degrees farenheit, water temperature was 32.5 degrees farenheit

pilot was seasoned, trained in air force

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