A US Airways Airbus A320 aircraft has ditched in the Hudson River in New York City after reportedly losing power in both engines shortly after takeoff from New York's LaGuardia airport. Early news reports say that all on board have survived and have been rescued.US Airways has confirmed that its "Flight 1549, an Airbus A320 en route to Charlotte from LaGuardia, has been involved in an accident in New York at approximately 3:03 pm Eastern Time."
Some news reports are saying that the aircraft suffered multiple bird strikes, causing loss of power to both engines. Several news media, quoting an FAA official, said that the aircraft landed in the river near 48th Street in midtown Manhattan. Local watercraft, including at least one ferryboat, hurried to the scene to pick up survivors and take them to shore. A passenger on the ferryboat took a photo of the scene with an iPhone.
Updates will follow here as more information becomes available.
UPDATE: The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced that it is sending a 20-member 'Go Team' to investigate today's crash of a US Airways Airbus A-320 (N106US) into the Hudson River in New York City.
UPDATE from US Airways: In a press release issued a short time ago, US Airways confirms 150 passengers and five crew (two pilots and three flight attendants) on board Flight 1549.
Flight 1549 was originally scheduled for departure from LGA at 2:45 p.m. Eastern Time. The flight’s actual time of departure was 3:03 p.m. Eastern Time.
In a statement to the press made shortly before departing for New York, US Airways CEO Doug Parker said "Our preliminary report is that everyone is off the plane."
UPDATE Jan. 16, 2009: It's official. The FAA Preliminary Report about yesterday's accident mentions bird strikes:
DESCRIPTION[Photo Source]
N106US, U S AIRWAYS FLIGHT 1549 AIRBUS A320-214 AIRCRAFT, AFTER DEPARTURE MADE A FORCED LANDING ON THE HUDSON RIVER AFTER STRIKING BIRDS AND LOSING ENGINE POWER, PERSONS ON BOARD WERE RESCUED BY BOAT, INJURIES ARE UNKNOWN, AIRCRAFT IS PARTIALLY SUBMERGED, NEW YORK, NY
Related:
Click here to view all posts about US Airways Flt 1549 on Aircrew Buzz, or choose from the list below.
- To the Captain of US Airways Flight 1549: Way to go, Sully! - Jan. 15, 2009
- US Airways Flight 1549 Flight Attendants Successfully Evacuate All 150 Passengers - Jan. 16, 2009
- US Airways identifies the crew of Flight 1549 - Jan. 16, 2009
- Video: Passengers on US Airways Flight 1549 Evacuate - Jan. 22, 2009
- US Airways A320 engine recovered from Hudson River - Jan. 23, 2009
- NTSB issues second update on US Airways Flight 1549 accident - Jan. 24, 2009
- US Airways Flight 1549: View from a pilot who was a passenger on board - Jan. 30, 2009
- US Airways Flight 1549 Update: Feathers, yes; Engine malfunction, no - Feb. 4, 2009
- FAA releases ATC audio related to the US Airways Flight 1549 accident - Feb. 5, 2009
- Smithsonian confirms Canada Goose remains in downed US Airways A320 - Feb. 12, 2009
- NTSB to hold public hearing on US Airways Flight 1549 accident - Feb. 19, 2009
- US Airways Flight 1549: Congressional testimony by crew members and ATC - Feb. 24, 2009
- What Capt. 'Sully' Sullenberger told Congress today - Feb. 24, 2009
- What US Airways pilot Jeff Skiles told Congress today - Feb. 24, 2009
- US Airways Flight 1549: The air traffic controller's story - Feb. 25, 2009
- US Airways Flight 1549 flight attendants given heroism award - Apr. 2, 2009
- Next week: Public hearing on the US Airways Flight 1549 accident - Jun. 4, 2009
- NTSB hearing: Passenger testimony vindicates US Airways flight attendant - Jun. 9, 2009
- Sully returning to duty at US Airways, as a management pilot - Sep. 28, 2009
- Video: US Airways Flight 1549 flight attendants recall Hudson River ditching - Nov. 4, 2009
- Sully retires from US Airways - Mar. 4, 2010
Great piloting but so far there is one important question not asked about the US Airways crash in the Hudson River. The automation of the Airbus A320. Since the Airbus is computer controlled there are aircraft parameters that the computer will not let the aircraft exceed. If the parameters are exceeded, the computer will “reboot” or in the case of an engine, it will “shut down” the engine. When striking the birds the computer could have seen an exceeded condition and shut down the engines without the pilots input. I have not read anything where the pilots shut down the engines? If the bird strike had been to a Boeing or DC/MD aircraft the engines would have continued to run because only the pilot can shut down the engines. The engines may appeared to be on fire (because fire was coning out of the tail pipe) but there was most likely no indication of a fire in the cockpit. There would have been other indications of catastrophic damage beside all of the red lights and horns, (noise and extreme vibration) caused by the exceeded conditions. On a Boeing or DC/MD aircraft the engines would continue to run (not very well). It would be better to have engines running producing some thrust, electrical and hydraulic power than nothing, even when ditching.
ReplyDeleteAs a captain on A320, it's the first time I learn that the computer may shut down an engine. The 320 is not a computer controlled aircraft for the most important action in the flight deck. The computers are here to help the crew. I agree that sometimes it's not easy to understand what's going on. It is the decision of the crew to shut down an engine. Sure, if the engine is totally unserviceable it will be shut down as it will in a 777.
ReplyDeleteAfter the bird strike, the NTSB indicated that the electrical power as well as the hydraulic pressure were working normally and provided the aircraft with AC/DC and all flight controls were usable.
It's a proof that the engine were not delivering thrust but they were probably at idle power.
So I think your knowledge of the 320 is not up to date