Flight 1549: Calm in Crisis

Complete Recordings and Transcripts are available here: http://www.faa.gov/data_statistics/accident_incident/1549/

Moments before U.S. Airways Flight 1549 made an emergency landing in N.Y.'s Hudson River, Cpt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger spoke with TRACON, a traffic radar control center in Westbury, N.Y.

Just before he ditched into New York's Hudson River last month, the pilot of US Airways Flight 1549 calmly radioed to air traffic controllers, "We're gonna be in the Hudson."

The audio recordings, released Thursday by the Federal Aviation Administration, reflect the initial tension between tower controllers and the cockpit and then confusion about whether the passenger jet went into the river.

According to the tapes, Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who sounded calm and matter-of-fact during the episode, also considered Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, just across the river from New York, but told controllers "we can't do it."

Sullenberger's voice never wavered, reports CBS News correspondent Bob Orr. But his badly crippled plane and the 155 people on board were running out of good options.

"It was the worst sickening pit-of-your-stomach, falling-through-the-floor feeling I've ever felt in my life," Sullenberger told CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric in an exclusive interview. "I knew immediately it was very bad."

"Emergency inbound," one tower controller says as he tries to arrange for the stricken plane to land at Teterboro.

"Can I get him in for Runway One?" the controller at New York TRACON, the Terminal Radar Approach Control Center in Westbury, N.Y, asks the tower at Teterboro.

"Runway One, that's good," says the tower controller at Teterboro.

"Cactus 1529 turn right two-eight-zero" for Teterboro, the TRACON controller orders the plane's pilot. Cactus is the call sign used by controllers for US Airways; the FAA says the controller, in the intense situation, got the flight number wrong.

"We can't do it," replies the plane's pilot.

"Which runway would you like at Teterboro?" asks the tower at LaGuardia.

"We're going to be in the Hudson," the pilot replies.

"I'm sorry, say again Cactus" an air traffic controller responded after hearing the pilot's message that he was ditching the Airbus A320.

There was no response from the aircraft.

After contact with the plane is lost, the tension in the tower at LaGuardia is clearly reflected in the voice of a controller. He sighs and then whispers to himself, "All right" as he returns to his normal duties.

"He lost all thrust" and "they're gone, all frequencies," the controller tells another plane that is preparing to take off.

Sullenberger has told FAA investigators he glided the plane into the river rather than risking a catastrophic crash in a densely populated area. All 155 aboard survived.

The trouble began moments after Flight 1549 took off on Jan. 15.

"Hit birds, we lost thrust in both engines, we're turning back to LaGuardia," the aircraft reported.

Controllers handling the departure told the LaGuardia tower: "Tower, stop your departures, we got an emergency returning." After identifying the flight, they said, "He lost all engines, he lost the thrust in the engines, he is returning immediately."

But less than 20 seconds later, Flight 1549 reported: "We're unable. We may end up in the Hudson." That led to the unsuccessful scramble to divert the plane to Teterboro.

The National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday they've confirmed there were birds in both the airliner's engines. Remains from both engines have also been sent to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington to have the particular bird species identified.

The safety board also said that an engine surge experienced by aircraft during a flight two days before the accident was due to faulty temperature sensor. The sensor was replaced, and the engine was examined and found to be undamaged before being returned to service.

The flight data recorder revealed no anomalies or malfunctions in either engine until Sullenberger reported striking birds, the board said.

Engine maintenance records also show the engines had been serviced in compliance with the FAA's most recent safety directive, the board said.

Last week, the aircraft was moved from the barge where it had been docked in Jersey City, N.J., to a secure salvage yard in Kearny, N.J, where it will remain throughout the estimated 12 to 18 months the NTSB investigation could take.

**NOTE: Video is owned by CBS

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[34D2234]

the president should of gave him the flying cross

[resaca5367]

Even with loss of power on all engines an airliner can glide far longer distances than most people think. Their glide ratio is comparable to that of many single engine motorgliders - somewhere between 1:18 and 1 - 25 --> 25 miles distance from 1 mile up. Btw, being heavy is good ! for gliding (but bad for landing).

[blueb0g]

@resaca5367 Few things: It's more like 1:10 or 1:15 at the most, especially that low. Secondly, weight has no impact on gliding at all - just on the speed. If you're light, you'll get to exactly the same spot you will get to if you're heavier but the heavier aircraft will have to fly slightly faster.

[rev4life03]

"They got the flight number wrong" Who gives a fuck?

[CounterCultureLives]

@Airplanes501 I think those birds should have been drug tested!!

[Airplanes501]

@chrigiammann It was the birds fault planes are the new brids.

[nimez31]

the captain of the titanic should have been like him..

[badtolzstandby]

I fucking hate our media jerkoffs!

[rhodium69]

Captain Sullenberger was a remarkable hero, his voice never changed despite what was happening. This man is a true hero and just absolutely remarkbale to see everyone walk off that jetliner. He is a great captain, he stood on that jet  until everyone was safely off . God bless that man and his crew.

[aviator147]

@34D2234 the president is too dumb

[nashixe]

@tazerfire It's nobody's fault. It was an accident. Shit happens. People who are good at their jobs, like this pilot, know how to handle it.

[chrigiammann]

@antibulletdodger101 well...i'm pretty sure birds were in the skies first...so it is the human race who urge into their district. dude..how can you say this was the birds fault? come on...