Trouble On The BIGGY Departure

Because this sort of thing has a tendency to disappear I’m attaching the flight track from FlightAware.com.

USAir’s Flight 1549 made a controlled splashdown in the Hudson River this afternoon. As I type this it looks like everyone got out safely.

Weather wasn’t a problem. Light snow was gone by the time the flight took off. The winds were moderate.

Flight 1549 was cleared for a BIGGY departure, taking off on Runway 2, heading basically north with a left turn scheduled. The plane flew over the western end of Long Island Sound, over the Bronx then sharply south over the Hudson River north of the George Washington Bridge.

Because this sort of thing has a tendency to disappear I’m attaching the flight track from FlightAware.com.

03:26PM  	40.80  	-73.87  	151  	1800 level  	New York TRACON

03:27PM 	40.83 	-73.87 	174 	2800 climbing 	New York TRACON

03:27PM 	40.86 	-73.88 	194 	3200 climbing 	New York Center

03:28PM 	40.88 	-73.90 	202 	2000 descending 	New York TRACON

03:28PM 	40.86 	-73.93 	215 	1600 descending 	New York Center

03:29PM 	40.83 	-73.95 	194 	1200 descending 	New York TRACON

03:29PM 	40.82 	-73.97 	191 	1300 climbing 	New York Center

03:30PM 	40.78 	-74.00 	189 	400 descending 	New York TRACON

03:31PM 	40.75 	-74.02 	153 	300 descending 	New York TRACON

flight_track_map.rvt.gif

2 thoughts on “Trouble On The BIGGY Departure”

  1. So glad this story had a happy ending. The pilots and flight attendants did an amazing job in ensuring everyone’s safety.

    I am stunned that the aircraft didn’t break apart upon touchdown. That is a miracle in itself.

    Great explanation of the flight path and on posting the credentials of the Captain. What a guy!

    -Mike

  2. Geoff,

    I praise the pilot but what a lot of people don’t realise is that in this type of situation, the airlines have established crash zones like this. A perfect example is that 4-5 airlines carry their New England routes over Fairfield county. If they are going to crash while approaching from the north, the plan is to splashdown into Candlewood Lake. And of course, someone had a “clicky” of their own, as there are AP pictures showing the plane as it came in.

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