NEW YORK, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- Federal investigators at a news conference Saturday described the 5 minutes that took a US Airways plane from takeoff in New York to the Hudson River.
Kathryn O. Higgins, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, said investigators had interviewed the pilot, Chesley Sullenberger III, the co-pilot, Jeffrey Skiles, two flight attendants and seven air traffic controllers, The New York Times reported. A third flight attendant remained hospitalized with injuries sustained in the crash.
Radar records confirm Flight 1549 struck something, probably a flock of birds, 5 miles and 90 seconds after takeoff Thursday afternoon at LaGuardia Airport, Higgins said. The pilots told air traffic controllers they were turning back.
A landing at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey was quickly rejected.
"We're going to be in the Hudson," was the response when controllers asked the pilots which runway they wanted at LaGuardia.
Flight 1549 was cleared for takeoff at 3:24:54 p.m. The crew notified controllers that the plane lost thrust at 3:27:32 and landed in the Hudson at 3:30:30. The pilots gave a one-word order -- "Evacuate."
