3 bUGEEOCLLEUEULEEEBCE EEG GUUKDYU Cockpit Voice Recorder Database fe Sn Saeed A oe JS January 2009 - US Airways 1549 US Airways Flight 1549 was a scheduled commercial passenger fight from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina that, on January 15, 2009, was successflly ditched in the Hudson River adjacent to midtown Manhattan six minutes afier takeoff ftom LaGuardia Aiport afler being disabled by striking a flock of Canada Geese during its intial climb out. The bird strike, which occurred just northeast of the George Washington Bridge about three minutes into the flight, resuked in an immediate and nearly complete loss of thrust from both ‘engines. When the aircrew of the Airbus 320 determined that they would be unable to safely teach any airfield from the site of the bird strike, they tumed it southbound and glided over the ‘Hudson, finally ditching the airliner near the USS Intrepid muscum about three minutes affer Iosing power. All 155 occupants safely evacuated the airliner, which was stl viwally intact ‘though partially submerged and slowly sinking, and were quickly rescued by nearby watercraft. ‘The entire crew of Flight 1549 was later awarded the Master's Medal of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators. The award citation read, "This emergency ditching and evacuation, with the loss of no lives, i a heroic and unique aviation achievement." It has been described as "the most successfil ditching in aviation history.” On January 15, 2009, the flight was cleared for takeoff from Runway 4 at LaGuardia at 32456 pan. EST (20:24:56 UIC). The crew made ther first report affer becoming airborne 413.2551 as being at 700 feet and climbing. There were 150 passengers and five crew ‘members, including the captain, fist officer, and three fight attendants, on board. ‘The captain was Chesley "Sully" Sulenberger, 57, a former fighter pilot who had been an Uitte pilot since aving the Air Force in 1980. He is also a safety expert and a glider pilot, ‘Tie fist officer was Jeffrey B. Skiles, 49, who was on the last leg ofhis first assignment in the Airbus A320 since passing the training course to fly the type. The fight atendants were Donna Dent, Doreen Welsh, and Sheila Dail First Officer Skiles was at the control of the flight when it took off to the northeast from Runway 4 at 3:25 p.m, and was the first to notice a formation of birds approaching the aireraft about two mimes later, while passing through an akiiude of about 3,200 feet (980 m) on the intial climb out to 15,000 feet. The aircraft colfided with the birds at 3:27:01. The windscreen Hyderabau* to Dublin B Eee $27,405 Mmakemytrip.com2. ° 3 & g 66s © eoceoegceueeueuus eoocouuddss quickly tumed dark brown and several loud thuds were heard. Both engines ingested birds and immediately lost aknost al'thnust. Capt. Sullenberger took the conirols, while Skiles began ‘going through the three-page emergency procedures checklist in an attempt to restart the ‘engines. At32736, using the call sign "Cactus 1539", the fight radioed air traffic controllers at Now ‘York Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON)'Hit birds. We've lost thrust on both ‘engines. We're tuming back towards LaGuardia." Passengers and enbin crew later reported hearing "very lou bangs" in both engines and seeing flaming exhaust, then silence from the ‘engines and smeling the odor of unburned fie! in the cabin. Responding to the captain's report ofa bird strike, controller Patrick Harten gave the fight a heading to retum to LaGuardia and told him that he could land to the southeast on Runway 13. Sullenberger responded that he was unable, Sullenberger asked if they could attempt an emergency landing in New Jersey, mentioning Teterboro Aiport in Bergen County as a possibilty, ar traffic controllers quickly contacted Teterboro and gained permission for a nding on runway 1. However, Sulenberger told controllers that "We can't do i, and that "We're gonna be in the Hudson’, making clear his intention to bring the plane down on the Hudson River due to 2 lack ofaltiude, Air traffic ‘control at LaGuardia reported seeing the aircraft pass less than 900 feet (270 m) above the Goonge Washington Bridge. About 90 seconds before touchdown, the captain announced, "Brace for impact", and the fight attendants instructed the passengers how to do so. ‘The plane ended is six-mimte fight at 331 pm with an unpowered ditching while heading south at about 150 mikes per hour (130 kn, 240 knvh) in the middle of the North River section ofthe Hudson River roughly abeam 50th Strect (near the Intrepid Sea- Air-Space Museum) x ‘Manhaitan and Port Imperial in Wechawken, New Jersey. Sullenberger said in an interview on CBS television that his training prompted him to choose a ditching location near operating boats so as to maximize the chance of rescue. The location was near three boat terminal: two used by ferry operator NY Waterway on either side of the Huvison River and a third used by tour boat operator Circle Line Sightseeing Cinises. After coming to a stop in the river, the plane began drifting southward with the current, j Immediately after the A320 had been ditched in mid-river, the arerew began evacuating the 150 passengers, both on to the wings through the four mid-cabin emergency window exits and into an inflated slide deployed from the front right passenger door (the front left slide failed to ‘operate as intended), while the partially submerged and slowly sinking airliner drited down the iver with the curent, Two fight attendants were in the front, one in the rear. Each fight | attendant in the front opened a door, which was also armed to activate a slide, ahough the port side slide did not immediately deploy. One reat door was opened by a panicked Passenger, causing the aircraft to fil more quickly with water. The fight attendant in the rear ‘who attempted to reseal the rear door was not successfil in doing so, she told CBS News. It ‘Was later revealed that the impact with the water had ripped open a hole in the underside of the ‘siplane and twisted the fisclage, causing cargo doors to pop open and filing the plane with4 G6OoGes ae eououecuueuues u eeuouuvuuneeeeuouu?d a2 © ‘water from the rear. The fight attendant unged passengers to move forward by climbing over seats to escape the rising water within the cabin, One passenger was in a wheelchair. Having twice walked the length of the cabin to confirm that no one remained inside after the plane had been evacuated, the captain was the last person to leave the aircrafl. Evacuees, some wearing life-vests, waited for rescuc on the parly submerged slides, knee-deep in icy river water. Others stood on the wings or, fearing an explosion, swam away fom the plane. Air temperature at the time was about 20 °F (-7 °C), and the water was 36 °F (2 °C). ‘There were five serious injuries, one of which was a deep laceration in fight attendant Doreen Webb's leg In total, 78 people were treated, mostly for minor injuries and lypothermia. Location: Weehawken, NJ Date: Jamary 15, 2009 ‘Time: 1530 Eastern Standard Time Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A320-214, reg. N106US Operator: US Airways, Flight 1549 ‘Transcript of an Allied Signal/Honeywell model SSCVR cockpit voice recorder (CVR/ Black Box), s/n 2878, installed on an Airbus Industrie A320-214, registration N1O6US. LEGEND . ATIS Radio transmission from the Autonmnted Teminal Information System RDO Radio transition from accident sieraft, US Airways 1549 CAM Cockpit area microphone voice or sound source A Voice or sound heard on the public address system channel HOT Hot microphone voice or sound source INTR Interphone communication o or from ground crew Foc RDO, CAM, PA, HOT and INTR comments: -1 Voice identified as the Captain “2 Voice identified as the Fist Officer -3 Voice identified as eabin erewmember ~4 Voice identitied as grounderew 2 Voice unidentitied FWC Automated callout or sound ffomthe Flight Waming Computer TCAS Automated callout or sound fiom the Traffic Colision Avoidance System PWS Automated callout or sound fiomthe Predictive Windshear System GPWS Automated callout or sound fromthe Gound Proxinity Waming System BGPWS Automated callout or sound fiomthe Eahanced Ground Proximity Warning system RMP Radio transmission fiomranp control at LaGuardia ‘GND Radio transmission fiom ground control at LaGuardia CLC Radio transmission ftomelearance delivery at LaGuardia ‘TWR Radio transmission from the Aie Traffic Control Tower at LaGuardia DEP Radio transmission fromtaCuardia departure control 4718 Radio transmission fromanother aisplane (Eagle Might 4718) (CHL1234] CVR Channel identifier I-Captain 2» First Officer 3- PA 4= Cockpit Area Microphone