It’s The 15th Anniversary Of The “Miracle On The Hudson”
Today marks the 15th anniversary of the “Miracle on the Hudson,” a world-famous incident with Charlotte roots.
The “Miracle on the Hudson” refers to US Airways Flight 1549, an incident that occurred on January 15, 2009. The flight had just left New York’s LaGuardia Airport bound for Charlotte. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft struck a flock of Canada geese, causing both engines to lose power.
Realizing the severity of the situation, Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles made the decision to attempt an emergency water landing on the Hudson River. Despite the challenges of landing a large commercial aircraft on water, Captain Sullenberger skillfully executed the maneuver, and all 155 people on board survived.
“It really took everyone involved. My crew, the passengers themselves, to rescuers, the first responders, all of it, responders from New York and New Jersey, it took so much cooperation,” Sullenberger said in an interview on MSNBC. “Everyone involved had to rise to the occasion and understand how serious this was and what they had to do and make it their mission to make sure that every life was saved.”
The Charlotte-bound flight carried many people who still call the area home. Later this year, Charlotte’s reimagined air museum will officially open as the Sullenberger Aviation Museum. The new 35,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art main exhibit gallery and innovation hub adjacent to Charlotte Douglas International Airport will be the new home of the famous plane that was pulled from the Hudson River.
