It has been ten years since US Airways pilot Captain Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger pulled off the ‘Miracle on the Hudson,’an impromptu landing on the Hudson.
Nearly ten years later, listening to the audio from Sullenberger’s cockpit is still horrific.
On January 15, 2009, in the late afternoon, US Airways aircraft 1549 crashed with a flock of Canadian geese,
causing both engines to be destroyed. Upon realizing he wouldn’t make it back to LaGuardia Airport,
veteran fighter pilot Sullenberger of the United States Air Force conducted a forced landing in the Hudson River, saving the lives of everyone on board.
Hearing the cockpit audio is terrifying even if no lives were lost in the accident. My nickname is Cactus 1549. Kill the crows. Both of our engines have lost thrust.
‘We’re returning to LaGuardia,’ Sullenberger says in a composed manner, adding, ‘We could end up in the Hudson.’
Sullenberger has been given permission to make an emergency landing at LaGuardia, the air traffic controller responds,
but the captain claims he is ‘unable.’ Sullenberger responds, ‘We can’t do it,’ when the controller
suggests that the plane land at nearby Teeterboro Airport in New Jersey. We’re going to be in the Hudson.
Radar contact has been lost with Cactus 1549, the recording ends ominously.A later tape shows the controller calling for help.
He commands, ‘Get me a police department helicopter… immediately.’ Anyone can be won over.
They are directed to the Lincoln Tunnel by you. We witnessed a Cactus Airbus plunge into the ocean. Near the Intrepid, he descended the river.
The 67-year-old Sullenberger is regarded as a hero and is arguably the most well-known pilot in history. He initially found it difficult to handle the hero title.
In 2016, he admitted, ‘I initially resisted the H word.’ However, I have developed an understanding of why others feel the way they do about this event and, consequently, about me.
Sullenberger continues to keep in touch with a number of the folks he helped. I never had any side thoughts in the brief moments we had.
I neither gave myself permission nor harbored any desire to. I never thought about my family. Sullenberger said,
‘I never thought about anything other than controlling the flight path and solving each problem in turn until, finally, we had solved them all.’
In a statement made on the occasion of the tenth anniversary. I take into account both what we did and what everyone else did.
The puzzle’s component pieces must all fit together. To ensure that every life was preserved, this group of strangers had to step up.
Sullenberger’s actions from ten years ago will live on forever! You may listen to the cockpit call down below.