Jan 15, 2009 9:56 pm US/Eastern
Pilot, Rescuers Credited With Saving Passengers
Plane Goes Down After Likely Being Hit By Birds
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Chesley B. Sullenberger III
CBS
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US Airways flight 1549 went down into the Hudson River near New York City on Jan. 15, 2009.
CBS
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US Airways flight 1549 is seen in the Hudson River near New York City following a crash on Jan. 15, 2009.
CBS
The U.S. Airways pilot of a plane that crashed into the Hudson River Thursday is credited with helping to save the lives of 150 people on board the aircraft.
Emergency crews on land also sprang into action, helping to bring survivors to nearby hospitals.
the pilot of U.S. Air Flight 1549,
Capt. Chelsey B. Sullenberger III -- with 40 years of flying experience -- was the last person to leave the plane after he checked and double-checked that all passengers had gotten off the aircraft safely.
Witnesses say they saw the Airbus 320 hit a flock of birds minutes before it went down. An Air Traffic Controllers Union official says the pilot reported a "double bird" strike less than a minute after take-off from LaGuardia Airport.
Watch:
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"There was a big boom, and everybody smelled smoke and we lost altitude," said passenger Jay McDonald.
It appears the plane was headed to make an emergency landing in New Jersey when it went down in the Hudson River Thursday afternoon.
"It just started smelling a lot like gasoline … then that pilot got on and said 'brace for hard impact,' and that's when everyone, to be honest, started saying prayers," one passenger described.
The plane crashed hard into the frigid waters. Immediately, nearby ferry boats responded and actually helped carry survivors away.
Other passengers stood on the plane's wings, waiting to be rescued.
The plane carried 146 passengers and five crew members.
Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, but the evacuation was successful with no loss of life.
"They did a phenomenal job getting everyone out," said survivor Diane Henderson.
One victim suffered two broken legs, a paramedic said, but there were no other reports of serious injuries.
Police drivers had to rescue some of the passengers from underwater, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. Among those on board was one infant who appeared to be fine, the mayor said.
Fire officials said others were evaluated for hypothermia, bruises and other minor injuries.
The crash took place on a 20-degree day, one of the coldest of the season in New York. State environmental officials estimated the water was 41 degrees.
"It would appear that the pilot did a masterful job of landing the plane in the river, and then making sure everybody got out," Bloomberg said.
Passenger Jeff Kolodjay of Norwalk, Conn., said he heard a single explosion two or three minutes into the flight. He said looked out the left side of the plane and saw one of the engines on fire.
"The captain said, `Brace for impact because we're going down,"' Kolodjay said. He added: "It was intense. It was intense. You've got to give it to the pilot. He made a hell of a landing."
Witnesses said the plane's pilot appeared to guide the plane down. Bob Read, a television producer who saw the crash from his office window, said it appeared to be a "controlled descent."
U.S. Air officials are cautioning people not to speculate on a cause for the crash, but there is strong evidence to suggest a flock of birds may be to blame.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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