U.S. AIRWAYS FLIGHT 1549
Summary of Event
U.S. Airways Flight 1549 struck a at least two Canadian geese around 3:27 p.m. on January 15, 2009, after departing New York’s LaGuardia Airport headed to Charlotte, North Carolina. As a result, both engines on the plane lost thrust. The pilot notified air traffic controllers of the strike less than three minutes after takeoff, and an emergency was declared. As Captain Chesley Sullenberger communicated with air traffic control, he determined that he would be unable to turn the plane back to LaGuardia Airport and land safely. The captain made the decision to land the ...