‘Brace for impact’: How the Miracle on the Hudson unfolded

The unforgettable image of the passengers and crew crowded onto the wings and escape slides awaiting rescue, as the plane floated in the icy waters, was flashed around the world.What happened?On 15 January, 2009, Flight 1549 was scheduled to fly from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to Charlotte, North Carolina, and continue on to Seattle.Sully, an air force veteran and commercial pilot since 1980, was joined in the cockpit by first officer Jeffrey Skiles. There were also 150 passengers and three cabin crew on the Airbus A320 when it took off at 3.25pm.US Airways Flight 1549 after it ditched into the Hudson River on 15 January, 2009, following a bird strike.(Flickr/Greg Lam Pak Ng)Skiles was in control and visibility was clear, when at 3.27pm the plane struck a flock of Canada geese at an altitude of 2,818 feet (860m). The size of the “bird strike” caused both engines to flame and shut down.Sully took control of the aircraft and Skiles attempted an engine restart. The
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