Timeline of flight that landed in Hudson River

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(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-01-18 11:13

NEW YORK -- The National Transportation Safety Board on Saturday released a timeline of the five-minute flight of US Airways Flight 1549 last Thursday:

A ferry comes to the aid of passengers standing on the wings of a US Airways plane on the Hudson River in New York January 15, 2009. The US Airways Airbus A320 jet with 155 people on board came down into the frigid Hudson River off Manhattan after apparently hitting a flock of geese on Thursday and officials said everyone was rescued. [Agencies]

3:24:54: The plane is cleared for takeoff from LaGuardia Airport.

3:25:51: Pilot Chesley B. Sullenberger tells the departure controller he is at 700 feet (210 meters) and climbing to 5,000 feet (1,500 meters). He is instructed to climb to 15,000 feet (4,500 meters).

3:27:01: Radar data shows the plane intersect "primary targets" -- probably a flock of birds -- while climbing between 2,900 and 3,000 feet (870 and 900 meters). The objects had not been on the departure controller's radar screen.

3:27:32: After receiving an instruction from air traffic control, the pilot reports: "Aaah, this is Cactus 1549. We hit birds. We lost thrust in both engines. We're turning back towards LaGuardia."

3:27:49: Controllers advise LaGuardia tower to stop departures because of an emergency plane returning to the airport. Tower officials are told there was a bird strike.

3:28:05: When asked if the pilot wanted to land at LaGuardia: "We're unable. We may end up in the Hudson." Communication followed over whether the plane could land at nearby Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, but the pilot said "We can't do it." Another controller asked which runway he could aim for. "We're gonna be in the Hudson," was the pilot's last message.

3:30:30: The plane touches down in the water. Radar and tower personnel notify the Coast Guard, which responds, "We launched the fleet."