US Airways Flight 1549
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_after_crashing_into_the_Hudson_River_(crop_2).jpg) Passengers perform the world’s slowest pool party on the Hudson River | |
| Epic oops | |
|---|---|
| Date | January 15, 2009 (The Day the Birds Went Rogue) |
| Summary | Emergency water ballet after unplanned bird buffet causes both engines to give up |
| Site | The Hudson River, aka “Not a Landing Strip,” New York City, NY, USA |
| Aircraft | |
 N106US, the unlucky bird magnet | |
| Aircraft type | Airbus A320-214 (aka The Not-So-Waterproof Wonder) |
| Operator | US Airways (Flight attendants not included in bird negotiations) |
| IATA flight No. | US1549 (Now famous for the Hudson swim) |
| ICAO flight No. | AWE1549 (Awe, what just happened?!) |
| Call sign | CACTUS 1549 (because why not?) |
| Registration | N106US (the splash machine) |
| Flight origin | LaGuardia Airport, New York City (where the flight began) |
| Stopover | Charlotte Douglas International Airport (pretend it stopped there) |
| Destination | Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (original plan: fly there dry) |
| Occupants | 155 brave souls + one really upset bird |
| Passengers | 150 “I didn’t sign up for swimming” passengers |
| Crew | 5 “Keep calm and float on” crew members |
| Fatalities | 0 (because miracles happen) |
| Injuries | 100 soggy but mostly okay (78 got a free ambulance ride) |
| Survivors | All 155 lived to tell the tale (and meme about it) |
US Airways Flight 1549, also known by its secret call sign "Cactus Splash", was a 2009 aviation experiment that attempted to answer the age-old question:
- “Can you turn a modern passenger jet into a giant aluminum boat by adding geese?”
Against all odds, the answer was: “Surprisingly, yes.”
The Backstory[edit | edit source]
On January 15, 2009, Captain Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger woke up and decided that flying to Charlotte was too mainstream. First Officer Jeff Skiles joined him, mainly because he thought the in-flight snacks would be better up front.
They departed from LaGuardia, which, in aviation circles, is known as “that place where planes go to suffer.”
The Birds[edit | edit source]
Barely three minutes after takeoff, the plane collided with a formation of geese who were vacationing illegally in New York airspace. These geese, described by the FAA as “feathered saboteurs,” took out both engines in an act of suicide protest against airline peanuts.
To this day, conspiracy theorists believe the geese were Canadian sleeper agents ordered to attack American aviation.
The Splashdown[edit | edit source]
With no engines, no altitude, and no desire to see New Jersey, Sully made the historic decision to land the plane on the Hudson River, instantly inventing the world’s first successful “aluminum boat.”
Aftermath[edit | edit source]
The passengers were so impressed by the river cruise that many requested extra peanuts and life jackets as souvenirs. Sully became an instant legend, proving that even when things go wrong, you can still wing it.
Goose Apology Letter[edit | edit source]
> Dear Humans, > > We, the Canadian Geese Collective, apologize for the unfortunate buffet on your engines. We were just very hungry and thought the jet looked delicious. We did not mean to ruin your flight or create a viral sensation. We promise to stick to ponds and avoid airspace in the future. Also, no more surprise attacks — scout’s honor. > > Sincerely, > The Feathery Menace
Passenger Tweets[edit | edit source]
- @JustChillin123: “Survived the #CactusSplash! Can confirm: aluminum boats float. Also, peanuts never tasted better. 🥜🚤”
- @WinglessTraveler: “Only time I’ll say ‘this is the best water landing ever’ #HudsonRiverCruise”
- @NotAFanOfGeese: “Dear geese, stay off the runway AND the sky. Thx. #GooseGate”
- @CaptainSkilesFan: “Jeff was cool, but Sully’s the real MVP. Bow down. #PilotGoals”
- @LifeJacketFashion: “Who knew life jackets could be so trendy? #SurvivalChic”
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Trivia: The only time a plane landing in a river got a better rating than Titanic.