"We're Gonna Be In The Hudson"

One day after the National Transportation Safety Board issued a report confirming multiple bird strikes led to the January 15 downing of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River, the FAA released audio recordings and transcripts of communications between Captain Chesley Sullenberger, and controllers at LaGuardia International Airport (LGA) and the New York TRACON.

Though certainly dramatic, the recordings offer little in the way of new information regarding the circumstances surrounding the ditching, in which all 155 passengers and crew onboard the stricken airliner were rescued.

What the audio tapes do show, however, is the unquestionable professionalism of the pilot, controllers and other pilots in the area who relayed information to ATC during the first critical minutes following the incident.

Immediately after being issued instructions at 3:27:32 pm local time to turn to a westerly heading, Sullenberger informed ATC of a problem.

"Ah, this is Cactus fifteen thirty nine (sic) hit birds we lost thrust in both engines we're turning back to LaGuardia," the pilot told the LaGuardia tower controller, in a rushed but still amazingly calm tone of voice.

The controller immediately cleared the Airbus A320 back towards LGA, and stopped all departures from the airport in anticipation of the emergency landing. Sullenberger briefly discussed with ATC the possibility of landing at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, initially saying he would try to head to that airport... though 23 seconds later, it becomes clear to "Sully" that won't be possible.

"We're gonna be in the Hudson," Sullenberger tells ATC at 3:29:28, less than two minutes after the initial emergency call. That was the last radio communication from the US Airways jet; several GA aircraft and helicopters then kept LGA and TRACON personnel apprised of the situation, including where the jet touched down and that life rafts had been deployed.

Transcripts and audio recordings from the tower at LGA, Teterboro tower and TRACON are available at the FMI link below.

(Incident images by Gregory Lam, used under Creative Commons Attribution guidelines)

FMI: www.faa.gov/data_statistics/accident_incident/1549/