Mon, 04 May 2026 06:18:17 +0000

How Captain Sully Defied Death and Rewrote Aviation History When most pilots envision a mid-air crisis, the first thought is often of failure. But for Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger,-installed cool head and lightning-quick decision-making turned disaster into triumph. In the darkest hours of August 15, 2009, when US Airways Flight 1549 hit a flock of geese minutes after takeoff, Captain Sully didn’t just manage an emergency—he defied death and redefined what it means to be a pilot. ### The Miracle on the Hudson: A Story of Courage and Skill On a cold September morning, Sully captained a twin-engine Airbus A320 en route from New York to Charlotte. Just 15 minutes into the flight, the aircraft struck a flock of geese, losing both engines briefly. At just 200 feet above the icy Hudson River, Sully faced a choice: abandon the crash-landing plan toward a nearby airport or execute a harrowing water landing.