US Airways Flight 1549

The waters of the Hudson River stretching out before you mark the site of one of the most remarkable aviation events in history. On January 15, 2009, this stretch of the river became an emergency runway when US Airways Flight 1549 was forced down minutes after departing from LaGuardia Airport. The aircraft lost all engine power after striking a flock of Canada geese at an altitude of nearly three thousand feet. With no possibility of reaching a nearby airport, Captain Chesley Sullenberger and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles glided the Airbus A320 onto the water. Every one of the 155 people on board survived the event. The rescue effort that followed was immediate, with ferry boats, police, and fire craft converging on the site to pull passengers from the wings and inflatable rafts.