Video: The U.S. Airways splashdown
posted at 11:00 am on January 17, 2009 by Allahpundit
Via Suitably Flip. Pay attention to the left side of the frame starting at around 2:00; evidently this is as close as we’re going to get to a shot of the actual landing. There were no tourists with camcorders walking around the west side of Manhattan on Thursday afternoon? The Intrepid’s right there and was open for business at the time. No one on the deck thought to snap a shot of the jet descending right over their heads?
Captain Hero and his family are on their way to the inauguration, apparently. Exit quotation: “I know at our house, we watch the news and day after day, we’d say. ‘I just don’t know how much more bad news we can take.’ And so not only am I glad my husband is happy, healthy and alive today, but just for the nation, I just didn’t want to have another bad news accident for anybody’s family.”
Blowback
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Wow.
HarryBalzac on January 17, 2009 at 11:02 AM
Yes, wow. Just the end of the splash. And how many seconds(minute or two) did it take for the ferries to get there, amazing. And the people just standing on the wings before that? What a bizarre feeling that must have been.
wise_man on January 17, 2009 at 11:07 AM
This being from the Jersey side (west side of the river, from a location that looks to be maybe 500 feet south of the Jersey-side NY Waterway Port Imperial Ferry Dock)— I would be shocked if we didn’t see some sort of webcam capture from the houses or condos just up the cliff from this.
Those homes get a lot of their value from the view of midtown, and I would be surpremely surprised if no one had a continuingly rolling, pseudo hi-res. webcam of some sorts, rolling on the river, 24-7.
Still though- at least its something.
More than something- that’s a miracle.
ChipDWood on January 17, 2009 at 11:11 AM
That was such an amazing event.
AbaddonsReign on January 17, 2009 at 11:12 AM
It’s a good thing Obama was President elect, lives could have been lost…
right2bright on January 17, 2009 at 11:15 AM
A phenomenal landing and rescue.
artist on January 17, 2009 at 11:16 AM
Another amazing thing – in a long string of amazing things – is that they managed to keep the plane balanced. I would think that if they got too much weight on one wing or too far our on one wing the thing would have rolled or at least tipped enough to dump them all in the river.
Stephen Macklin on January 17, 2009 at 11:16 AM
After the “landing” the plane comes to a rest at about 2:16 by the time the camera zooms in( 2:48) the flight crew has already managed to get many people on the wing. That’s thirty-two seconds! Unbelievable.
Weight of Glory on January 17, 2009 at 11:19 AM
FNC interrupted the Obama slobberfest a short time ago and showed video shot from the Manhattan side where you can actually see the landing.
JammieWearingFool on January 17, 2009 at 11:19 AM
A the greatest statement I ever heard while in the Coast Guard. “No one dies here today.” It chokes me up when you actually see it occur. Here to you Capt. Sullenberger.
Zaire67 on January 17, 2009 at 11:19 AM
The cabin crew gets my admiration for controlling the exit so well. Scintillating performance under pressure.
Donna Dent, Doreen Welsh, and Sheila Dail are my heroes.
They don’t get simulator time. Going from drink cart mode to “get everyone in the rafts and on the wings” in less than 3 minutes was amazing.
I hear than one of the crew was the seriously injured one – two broken legs and in surgery. I wish her a complete recovery.
Thank you for exceeding the standard in action under pressure.
NaCly dog on January 17, 2009 at 11:20 AM
The neocons did it to distract people from Obama’s inauguration. Uh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah that’s it.
KillerKane on January 17, 2009 at 11:20 AM
Here’s the story about the surveillance video. Searching for the actual video.
JammieWearingFool on January 17, 2009 at 11:23 AM
Wow. Unbelievable landing! Unbelievable reaction on the part of the crew. Unbelievable response from NY! What a team!
scalleywag on January 17, 2009 at 11:26 AM
Amazing! The Pilot, the crew were incredible! Thank God no one was killed. So now, The One thinks he will look good. With this crisis, one would think he would pass on this elaborate inauguration. Should prove how he doesn’t give a rats ass. This was a miracle and shows the skills of the Airline and the crew.
sheebe on January 17, 2009 at 11:26 AM
Rove you magnificent bastard!
He must have ordered Scooter Libby to make the captain to intentionally fly into a flock of canadian geese. I sure hope that Henry Waxman leads an investigation immediately!!!/
wise_man on January 17, 2009 at 11:28 AM
Darn it! You found out!
KillerKane on January 17, 2009 at 11:29 AM
Unbelievable…there were a bunch of heroes that day…
d1carter on January 17, 2009 at 11:30 AM
Imagine living in NYC and seeing a plane coming towards the river. Had to be horrifying.
scalleywag on January 17, 2009 at 11:31 AM
They are showing a brand new and better video on Neil Cavuto right now.
SoulGlo on January 17, 2009 at 11:33 AM
I did not realize he landed approximately in the middle of the river (for some reason I thought he was closer to the New Jersey shore). Still, absolutely amazing stuff.
Mr. Joe on January 17, 2009 at 11:44 AM
Mrs. Hero sounds like she’s knee-deep in the media propaganda “news.” She should turn that cr@p off and she’d feel better.
ex-Democrat on January 17, 2009 at 11:49 AM
Forget the amazing performance by the US Airways crew, the real problem here is president Bush has lagged on FAA standards. Had Bush been doing his job here in the U.S. instead of going to war for oil against a country of peaceful Muslims, this would have been prevented.
- Because Bush accelerated Global Warming, the Geese were further north than they should have been.
- FAA funding was cut for the Iraq war, thus technology that could have dealt with the geese situation in air has not yet been developed. Sonar technology to warn the geese, or engines that automatically shutoff when geese are in close proximity and restart after the geese are in the clear would be standard equipment on planes by now.
I’m sure president Bush will not be attending PETA’s geese funeral processions since he is anti-environment. Hopefully Obama will do the right thing and create a holiday in honor of the geese victimized by Global Warming and then an airplane from an imperialist nation with the letters “US” on it.
jediwebdude on January 17, 2009 at 11:50 AM
Absolutely amazing! It gives me chills just to see it. The still photos were great, but seeing how quickly things happened and how fast the current was moving the plane downstream is almost beyond belief.
And can we please leave politics out of this and simply focus on the heroes here? Bush nor Obama had absolutely anything to do with what the pilots, passengers, and rescuers did that day.
behiker on January 17, 2009 at 11:50 AM
I know there are a lot of jokes about the folks in New York but I swear they appear to be the most quick witted and helpful people. I am sure most Americans would do the same but they seem to have it down to a science.
Cindy Munford on January 17, 2009 at 11:51 AM
The pilot gave the passengers the option of an emergency landing in Newark, but they opted for the Hudson River instead.
~Jay Leno
heavenhelpus on January 17, 2009 at 11:51 AM
Here’s a picture of (about) where the good Captain put down, taken from a ferry boat on the Hudson that helps illuminate not only why the ferry boats were so quick to respond to the need- but why it’s even more a miracle that nothing else was hit.
…including said ferry boats.
ChipDWood on January 17, 2009 at 11:52 AM
The speed of the exit from the plane and the speed of the current were surprising to me.
Good job getting those ferries in arms reach but not knocking people off the wing, too.
TexasDan on January 17, 2009 at 11:55 AM
Amazing! Isnt Obama inviting the pilot to his coronation?
aikidoka on January 17, 2009 at 11:57 AM
WOW!
Absolutely amazing! Great job all around!
Texas Gal on January 17, 2009 at 12:03 PM
I am wondering if the ripping off of the engines was part of the pilots method of slowing the rest of the aircraft down to increase the survivablity odds.
johnnyU on January 17, 2009 at 12:04 PM
You sound like a Truther, just “asking the questions” Allah, haha. Seriously though, I suspect there are already Truthers “raising questions” about this incident. I bet right about now they’ve connected some dots to some passenger who is a relative of someone they believe to be Illuminati.
At any rate, I would normally agree with the premise of your questions Allah, but maybe not this particular week. Have you been outside at all? It’s likely the coldest week of the year, and I doubt even the bravest of tourists felt like taking their hands out of their pockets to snap pictures of what they may have thought was just a plane landing at 1 of the 3 local major airports. Just my opinion though, I’m not familiar with the area… but from the videos, it doesn’t look that touristy in general… more of an industrial area.
RightWinged on January 17, 2009 at 12:11 PM
Actually – jediwebdude – it’s Chuck (Indymac bank killer) Schumer’s fault.
As Ace says: Captain BadAss
Amazing.
BrideOfRove on January 17, 2009 at 12:11 PM
Perhaps…There are lots of signs around the city, on all the bridges for example, that say “photography/filming prohibited”. Maybe more people are keeping their cameras/cell phones tucked away while they wander the city, just to be safe.
JetBoy on January 17, 2009 at 12:15 PM
Just FYI – at the 9 minute mark notice the Concorde in the background at the Intrepid museum.
drunyan8315 on January 17, 2009 at 12:19 PM
I think that if this would have happened anywhere but NYC, the people would have not been retrieved as quickly as they were.
I used to live in Manhattan and often took those ferries to the dock that is in the foreground in the linked video. Really no better place for that plane to be put down.
cryptojunkie on January 17, 2009 at 12:20 PM
Will PETA bring suit against U.S. Air for killing those geese? Inquiring minds want to know.
Percy_Peabody on January 17, 2009 at 12:20 PM
AMAZING! Out of the plane within like 15 seconds!..Captain Rocks!
christene on January 17, 2009 at 12:29 PM
Re: Drunyan8315 who said:
-No doubt the Intrepid, who is no stranger to combat, was once again surprised to see an airplane flying straight towards it.
If anything could take it though, it’d be her. And once again; the Intrepid’s present for another piece of history. BACK where she belongs, protecting New York.
ChipDWood on January 17, 2009 at 12:30 PM
CNNhas video of splash from different angle
William Amos on January 17, 2009 at 12:32 PM
When Sully does finally make it on national TV, one of the first things he’ll say is..There were a lot of heroes on the Hudson river that day.
Speakup on January 17, 2009 at 12:39 PM
Awesome. This underscores the importance of training and experience in crucial jobs.
DL13 on January 17, 2009 at 12:45 PM
Here’s to over 50 white men.
Labamigo on January 17, 2009 at 12:48 PM
1st people of wing within 30-40 seconds (heard interview with guy in exit row. Had the presence of mind to re-read exit procedures before landing
1st ferry arrives in 3 minutes flat (ferry operators have regular drills for such water rescues)
not enough you can say about pilot and the water landing… (air force vet coupled with extensive full-motion simulator time)
phreshone on January 17, 2009 at 12:56 PM
Competence! Always a beautiful thing.
Donna McAsey on January 17, 2009 at 1:02 PM
Here’s some video from the Manhattan side of the river.
JammieWearingFool on January 17, 2009 at 1:03 PM
A federal mandate and funding for chicken wire over the intakes is all we really need.
DarkCurrent on January 17, 2009 at 1:09 PM
There were no windows or US Air logo on the plane in the splash video!!! Controlled demolition! US Air had a high payout insurance policy!!!! INDICT BOOOOOOOOOSH!
RightWinged on January 17, 2009 at 1:09 PM
Dunkirk Spirit New York/New Jersey style.
RobCon on January 17, 2009 at 1:11 PM
Wondering whether team Obama will attempt to get the Captain or someone to say something supportive of our glorious new leader?? Get him in front of the cameras and put him on the spot somehow. Just wondering. Nothing surprises me anymore.
The Clinton’s were good at making everything about them.
JellyToast on January 17, 2009 at 1:17 PM
Had the plane landed south-to-north, chances are there would have been scads of videos, because the decent would have come in over the upper harbor, with people on the ferries to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and even the Staten Island Ferry, let alone those on the shore at Battery Park City near the WTC site. Coming in north-to-south, descending over the George Washington Bridge, the landing was done in a stretch of the Hudson that’s far more residential on both shores, and with temperatures around 20 and wind chills making it feel about 5, far less of a chance anyone was going to be casually out in Riverside Park or up on the Palisades with a video camera or cell phone cam at the ready, even in the middle of the afternoon.
jon1979 on January 17, 2009 at 1:18 PM
Tell you what, that’s some pretty fancy ferry boat drivin too. Especially in that current.
Hats off to those guys too.
conservnut on January 17, 2009 at 1:19 PM
I’m certain that had the Kennedy family been on their yacht that day, they would have raced to the rescue…only after they were certain that TV news crews were on the scene to capture their heroics (i.e. ordering their staff to do the actual work while keeping their martini glasses full).
jediwebdude on January 17, 2009 at 1:25 PM
In the Coast Guard video you see the plane strike the water at 3:31:02
By the time the camera operator zooms in on the plane, there are passengers on the wings at 3:31:40. Elapsed time :38
When the camera pans right, you can see the first ferry already underway at 3:32:50. Elapsed time 1:48
The first ferry arrives at 3:43:45. Notice that she had to slow up dramatically and allow the plane to come to her (watch the CNN video). Elapsed time 3:43
By the time the video ends, about 3:37:30, there are three ferries on scene.
Not one of those mariners would have guessed in a million years that they should be watching out for a passenger jet ditching in the Hudson, yet they responded as if they had been drilling for it for years. They were able to quickly rescue everyone without striking the jet or any of the survivors. It would have been very easy to crush a survivor between the ferry and the jet.
Consider that the NFPA standard response time for a structure fire is 6 minutes. And that is for highly trained professionals that are waiting for the alarm to ring.
They should be very proud of themselves. They done good.
turfmann on January 17, 2009 at 1:25 PM
First responders are cool and everything, but congress enacted a far more awesome rescue when they tossed the Captains of Finance & Industry a blank check from the United States Treasury, just in the nick of time!
Now that was a rescue operation!
jeff_from_mpls on January 17, 2009 at 1:26 PM
And the Captain was the last one to leave, making sure that every passenger and crew member had been evacuated. That’s no easy feat given the cabin had flooded with freezing water and could have sank. Now that’s leadership.
KillerKane on January 17, 2009 at 1:35 PM
Oh come on – the first responders just had to be there? It’s as if federal, state and city governments organized, trained and deployed first responder units to make such rescues. It’s a conspiracy I tell you!
Now do you see the nonsense of these conspiracy theories?
KillerKane on January 17, 2009 at 1:38 PM
Indeed
DarkCurrent on January 17, 2009 at 1:39 PM
GAIA’s revenge will have to wait on this one.
SouthernGent on January 17, 2009 at 1:40 PM
if you notice those people were out of that plane in under 30 seconds.
Kaptain Amerika on January 17, 2009 at 1:43 PM
This is maturity, direct action, swift decisions, confidence. No whiny hand-wringing, second guessing, worry about lawsuits, or sissies.
TinMan13 on January 17, 2009 at 1:43 PM
If the government had been in charge of that rescue, we would probably begin rescue operations about next Thursday.
conservnut on January 17, 2009 at 1:48 PM
Outstanding landing. The pilot, flight crew and the passengers, who I heard did not panic, all handled themselves beautifully. It may have looked smooth on the video, but can you imagine going down in a river after the pilot says, ‘we’re going down’? The fear must have been horrendous for them.
Bravo to Captain Sully!
Urban Infidel on January 17, 2009 at 1:50 PM
That was wonderful, but might be the last chance we get to see Americans at their finest, or to be proud to be counted among them.
I dread the next four years.
stonemeister on January 17, 2009 at 2:09 PM
This only convinces me more that God has a wicked (if I can use that term) sense of humor.
We have some guy being crowned on Tuesday who’s all talk.
And we have this man who has been nothing but action from his earliest days, who lived in “obscurity”, doing his duty and living a good life, who will probably breathe a sigh of relief when he returns to relative obscurity.
God’s giving us another chance to choose reality vs. hallucination.
Mommynator on January 17, 2009 at 2:21 PM
Chesley B. Sullenberger is the pilot’s name that saved all 155 lives aboard his plane this week. His wife’s name is Lorrie. “Captain Hero and his family” I think is a little crass.
repvoter on January 17, 2009 at 2:25 PM
that CNN video is awesome.
wise_man on January 17, 2009 at 2:30 PM
Exactly. My guess is, if you were to ask Captain Sullenberger right now about the incident, his response would be something like: “Just doing what I trained for and get paid for, and I’m glad it all worked this time. I think I’ll take a few days off, then get back to work”.
Yoop on January 17, 2009 at 2:33 PM
Not only the crew, the Coasties and the Ferry operators did some AMAZING work getting there so fast that almost noone even got hypothermia and almost no one got wet. Amazing, I would imagine that part of it has to do with New Yorkers being on a hair trigger for the last 7 years.
Squid Shark on January 17, 2009 at 2:47 PM
Textbook execution of the decision-action cycle. The flight crew identified the problem, examined their options, choose a course of action and then quickly and clearly focused on that solution. Indecision and the resulting delay in positive action can only make a critical situation worse. There was as there always is a bit of luck or good fortune riding with this aircraft given the outcome of this incident; a) the Hudson river afforded a very attractive and usable landing site, b) appears to have been a slight tail wind which allowed for a more stabilized approach, no penalty for landing long (slightly higher speed but a more consistent rate of descent than with a headwind), c) lack of large swells or waves reduced abuse to the airframe, d) proximity to rescuers, e) ex F4 pilot, aircraft has a sink rate of a brick. A very difficult task
dmann on January 17, 2009 at 2:53 PM
Americans are still going to be Americans
DarkCurrent on January 17, 2009 at 2:56 PM
Please remove cranium from anal cavity…..meant to say….
A very difficult task that was very well done!
dmann on January 17, 2009 at 3:00 PM
/
/
/
As a former flight attendant myself, I echo all of your sentiments. I know what a cluster it was getting a bunch of F/A trainees off the simulator, I can’t imagine what it was like doing that for real, in a water landing too!! Wow.
TBinSTL on January 17, 2009 at 3:14 PM
This is way better.
jimmy the notable on January 17, 2009 at 3:15 PM
I agree. Am I missing something? Is this sarcasm about how “truthers” come across? I’m asking–I really can’t tell.
Captain Sullenberger is genuine–and a hero–and I’m proud to know there are such people in the world. God, I’m really starting to hate the cynicism that seems to be infecting this country in epidemic proportions.
labwriter on January 17, 2009 at 3:17 PM
Some posters commented on the plane’s engines falling off the aircraft when it hit the water. This is a design feature of most large aircraft. Special bolts called FUSE PINS hold the engines in place on the wings–they are designed to break under high impact stresses and drop the engine rather than having the wing and engine break off the aircraft together.
***
Good aircraft design also provides HYDRAULIC FUSES to close off broken hydraulic lines when an engine falls off. Redundant hydraulic systems also are used. This provides hydraulic steering system control power without the engines in place or running. Ditto for electrical connections to the engines.
***
These systems seem to have performed perfectly. If neither engine breaks free the plane will “nose dive” under the water on ditching. If only one engine breaks free the plane will spin horizontally. Both cases will result in extreme injuries to people on board–and the plane will break up and sink rapidly–if it is not under water already.
***
Great pilot skill, very good aircraft design and testing, and God’s hand saved the people on board.
***
John Bibb
rocketman on January 17, 2009 at 3:19 PM
Fixed it for ya.
Christian Conservative on January 17, 2009 at 3:25 PM
Another BUSHHHHH failure!
8 years of “Big Brother” and this is the best video they got!
DSchoen on January 17, 2009 at 4:29 PM
“Should prove how he doesn’t give a rats ass. This was a miracle and shows the skills of the Airline and the crew”
Do you really think Obama wants to point out “Knowledge” “Skills” and “Abilities” combined with “Experience” are the root of this “miracle”?
I’m sure Obama will have a plan as to what to do in an emergency like this in a couple of weeks.
DSchoen on January 17, 2009 at 5:22 PM
“b) appears to have been a slight tail wind which allowed for a more stabilized approach, no penalty for landing long (slightly higher speed but a more consistent rate of descent than with a headwind)”
I don’t think he was using a “Tail Wind”, he was using the WIG effect.
By keeping the bird at the proper AOA, a few meters above the water he is basically “surfing on air”
“a cushion of air created by aerodynamics rather than by an engine”
Aircraft designed specifically for “WIG”
“A WIG craft, like the Pelican, sits on a cushion of air created by aerodynamics rather than by an engine. This means that it can only fly when the WIG craft has sufficient forward speed. This is called a dynamic air cushion”
Flying close to the water, the wing’s downwash angle and tip vortices are suppressed, resulting in a greatly reduced drag which leads to outstanding cruise efficiency.
DSchoen on January 17, 2009 at 5:41 PM
“ex F4 pilot, aircraft has a sink rate of a brick. A very difficult task”
LOL
The F-4 Phantom!
Proof positive that with enough power even a brick will fly.
DSchoen on January 17, 2009 at 5:45 PM
The seamanship, especially from the first ferry, was amazing. I’m not sure how fast the current was, but it was fast. Approaching without knocking the passengers into the water took an incredible amount of skill. Ferries are built to bang into docks at 4 knots or so. Planes are a bit more fragile. I would think that even a 1 knot impact would have dumped the passengers from the wings.
One thing that everyone should be aware of is the danger of hypothermia. Try putting your hand in ice water for about 30 seconds and then picking up a quarter at the bottom of the water. If you do go into the water, huddling with other people to conserver body heat will help. The best bet is what happened in that everyone stood on the wings (except for a couple of people)
I also notices that the ferries were throwing life jackets. Even if you have the inflatable it might be a good idea to put the bulky jacket on since it would keep your body heat.
One final thing, I have been in situations where I’ve had to pull people out of the water. It is a hell of a lot harder than people would think. Most boats, from small runabouts to large yachts, just aren’t built with facilities to make it easy to get out of the water. I had a 23′ boat with a diving board and that made it easier, not easy, and that is in 65-70 degree water. Hopefully, someone will come up with something for the ferries.. ie boarding ladders etc.
bullseye on January 17, 2009 at 5:59 PM
One final note. The various ferry services into Manhattan are a relatively recent thing. If this had happened in 1985, there would have been no ferries, and a lot of people would have died from hypothermia.
Another reason for the importance of a vibrant merchant marine. Unfortunately, almost none of our ships are American-built, and as few as possible are American-flagged.
njcommuter on January 17, 2009 at 6:41 PM
That’s right, people like the plane’s Captain, and all the men and women in the Middle East are magically going to be transformed into uncaring, unskilled, worthless losers.
Why would a person be so utterly clueless as to think who is in the White House has anything to do with how a person goes about their lives?
Get a freaking clue sparky.
Tomblvd on January 17, 2009 at 7:02 PM
This pilot is simply amazing. By the grace of God he saved all on board. And thanks to those Ferry captains and to the others. This was simply amazing. No other way to say it.
Kyah on January 17, 2009 at 7:31 PM
That first boat was at the plane just a few seconds more than two minutes after the it came to a stop in the water. Was that a civilian vessel? Or are all those ferries operated by the Port Authority? That was pretty remarkable response time.
Blacklake on January 17, 2009 at 7:34 PM
I have seen a LOT of videos since going online 13 years ago – that is by FAR the most amazing video, ever. Holy Guacamole.
Ugly on January 17, 2009 at 7:38 PM
Another
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f9d_1232215032
Ugly on January 17, 2009 at 7:47 PM
Been slow posting thanks to a seizure I had the other day…nasty head concussion. Anyhoo, I am extremely impressed at the heroics of everybody involved, and proud to be American and live in this country.
Crossing fingers here that from Tuesday on, I feel less scared.
ProudPalinFan on January 17, 2009 at 8:23 PM
That ferry captain deserves some credit for handling his boat.
desertdweller on January 17, 2009 at 8:32 PM
Cindy,
It is amazing how small this big city becomes in times of adversity. You can feel it.
diogenes on January 17, 2009 at 9:09 PM
A unique view of the landing from the Scotsman.
At the end of the article, they have a few sentences from Eric Moody, the pilot of the British Airways flight that lost all four engines after flying through the ash cloud of a volcano:
unclesmrgol on January 17, 2009 at 9:15 PM
Thanks for this. Someone above commented about the ferry captain’s seamanship — this clip shows that off — note that the airliner is floating downstream at a pretty good clip, and he is motoring upstream, so he would have had kill all his velocity at just the right point to hold position until they tied up to the plane.
unclesmrgol on January 17, 2009 at 9:26 PM
Um…that looks like the WTC in background of the featured video.
baldilocks on January 17, 2009 at 10:01 PM
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