Audio recordings released Thursday by the Federal Aviation Administration reveal a tense, lightning-fast scramble as controllers tried to arrange an emergency landing before losing touch with the Airbus A320 after it ditched into the Hudson River.
In the confusion, controllers mistakenly referred to the aircraft as Flight 1529 at several times; even the pilot or first officer misidentified their flight at one point.
The last words from Flight 1549 as it left the ground at New York's LaGuardia Airport at almost 3:26 p.m. EST Jan. 15 were, "Good day." One minute and 48 seconds later, the crew reported, "Hit birds, we lost thrust in both engines, we're turning back to LaGuardia."
A controller at the radar facility in Westbury, N.Y., handling the plane once it left LaGuardia told the airport tower: "Stop your departures, we got an emergency returning." After identifying the flight, the controller said, "He lost all engines, he lost the thrust in the engines, he is returning immediately."
The flight had been in the air for two minutes and six seconds.
Then 17 seconds later, Flight 1549 reported back to TRACON (the Terminal Radar Approach Control facility): "We're unable. We may end up in the Hudson."
That led to an unsuccessful scramble to divert the plane to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey.
"Emergency inbound," one controller said as he tried to arrange a landing.
"He was a bird strike. Can I get him in for Runway One?" said the TRACON controller, identified by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association as Patrick Harten, a 10-year veteran.
"Runway One, that's good," the Teterboro controller replied, according to the recordings released by the Federal Aviation Administration.
"Cactus 1529 turn right two-eight-zero" for Teterboro, Harten ordered the plane's pilot. Cactus is the call sign used by controllers for US Airways.
"We can't do it," the crew said.
"OK, which runway would you like at Teterboro?" Harten asked.
"We're going to be in the Hudson," the pilot replied.
"I'm sorry, say again Cactus," Harten said after hearing the pilot's message that he was ditching the plane.
There was no response.
The Teterboro operations staff worried that the Airbus 320 might weigh too much to land at the small airport. Risks include blowing a tire, running off the runway or breaking apart on landing.
"I believe he's too heavy, but let me talk to the supervisor," airport operations said.
"Yeah, he's, he's gonna land here cause he's, he's, he's fallin' down right now, he's comin' in, he's gonna land," a Teterboro air traffic control supervisor said, adding that he was calling out emergency rescue equipment.
By then, however, it was no longer needed.
"It appears that Cactus might have went down the east river there," TRACON told Teterboro.
After contact with the plane was lost, the tension at TRACON was clear in Harten's voice as he tried to raise a response from the aircraft. He sighed and then whispered to himself, "Right."
"I guess it was a double bird strike and he lost all thrust so ...," he said. It was not clear whether he was talking to other controllers nearby or another plane.
At LaGuardia, controllers were talking to a helicopter that kept the plane in sight.
"I got him in sight right next to the USS Intrepid, midriver," the helicopter reported. "It appears they are deploying the rafts right now."
Another LaGuardia controller was talking to airport officials, asking them to launch a rescue effort.
"OK, listen. We're going to tell you something important - it's Cactus 1549," the controller said urgently. "We see somebody low level in the Hudson River. ... You're gonna need to alert the New York and New Jersey Port Authority Police over there. ... He's about a mile and a half north of the Lincoln Tunnel. ... We still have a target on him, but he looks like he's low level."
US Airways pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger has told FAA investigators he glided the plane into the river rather than risk a catastrophic crash in a densely populated area. All 155 people aboard survived.
The National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday it confirmed there were birds in both the airliner's engines. Remains from both engines have been sent to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington to have the particular bird species identified.
Last week, the aircraft was moved from the barge where it had been docked in Jersey City, N.J., to a secure salvage yard in Kearny, N.J. The board's investigation could take 18 months.
NEW YORK AND TRI-STATE AREA NEWS
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