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Shades

A US airliner on a domestic flight with at least 152 people aboard has crashed into the Hudson River in New York City but with no loss of life.

All 148 passengers and the crew of at least four survived and were rescued from the sinking plane, the US Federal Aviation Administration confirmed.

The US Airways Airbus A320 crashed just after taking off from LaGuardia Airport heading for Charlotte, North Carolina.

Officials believe the plane may have collided with a flock birds.

"There is no indication that the incident is security-related," a homeland security official told the BBC.

Rescue boats plucked passengers, who could be seen wearing life jackets, from the wings of the plane.

A passenger who escaped from the aircraft told CNN: "A couple of minutes after taking off we heard a loud bang, the plane shook a bit and immediately we could smell smoke and fire."

Fox News also quoted passengers as saying that everyone from the plane had escaped alive.

A spokeswoman for the US Federal Aviation Authority, Laura Brown, said it was believed the plane had been in the air for three minutes after take-off when it crashed.

A man who witnessed the crash told ABC that the pilots' efforts had helped ensure a relatively soft landing on the water.

"From my window I saw the plane was coming down below the radar zone," he said.

"I thought it might be a terrorist attack or something but the plane looked like it had difficulty trying to... gain altitude but as it got closer to the water I saw the pilot, he made a last-ditch effort to try to gain altitude.

"And he did that for a few seconds and then the plane just came down and plopped on the water. Had he not done that he would have damaged the fuselage."

JG300-Ascout

Imagine ditching with no fatalities at takeoff when fuel load is as high as its going to be during the flight. 148 passengers plus crew is not a particularly light load in an A320 in any configuration.

piney

Pilot did a superb job

Piney

Shadow_Bshwackr

Reports are a flock of geese got in the engines... Shocked

bsmart

Looking at the graphics on the news It took of from LaGuardia went to the North Side of Manhattan, got to a maximum of 3500 ft turned south along the Hudson River and gently bellied in. They exited everyone through the front doors (the aft ones would have allowed water in because it is tail heavy)

Initial reports say bird strikes took out both engines. The news report says the Pilot walked the length of the cabin twice after everyone else was off to ensure no one was left. He was a an ex Air Force F-4 pilot.

It landed in shallow water near Ferry piers. Ferries were some of the vessels used to evacuate passengers. Reports are that some vessels chased the plane down the river when it was apparant it was going in the river

JG300-Ascout

- bsmart

The news report says the Pilot walked the length of the cabin twice after everyone else was off to ensure no one was left. He was a an ex Air Force F-4 pilot.

Surprising as well. Airlines more often recruit from the ranks of multi-engine, high-time transport drivers (yes, I know the F-4 has two mills) since they are more inclined to "procedural" flying. Fighter jocks usually have a bit more "flare".

Maybe a DFC is in order (unfortunately, not possible).

Shades

They just showed one of the 'survivors' in hospital on t.v. over here.
He pulled back his blanket to reveal the shirt he was wearing had a pilot's insignia.
After the crash he was cold so, having walked the plane to make sure no-one was left onboard, the pilot even gave this guy the shirt off his back.
And he's also an ex-fighter pilot, with a hot wife.
Is there anyone else in the same league as this guy?

Joe_D

Guys (and Gals) like this are what our country needs more of,

But I'm sure in a couple of weeks we will be barraged again about the J-Lo, Brangilina, Paris, Idol, Oprah, Ellen, etc etc etc ilk that dominates the Boob Tube and media. After all that's what's important to the mindless masses.

This forum is the only reason why I know of this. TV is only a means to get the weather and listen to the elevator music in the background while I putter around the house.

I shall now crawl back under my rock Wink

Joe D

piney

trust Shades to worry about the hot wife Laughing

But seriously, this guy deserves every praise and commendation he can be awarded, Hat's off to "Old pilots"

Piney

"There are bold pilots and old pilots, but no old, bold pilots"

Tanklord

What really happened!

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