Amazing 737 landing on a New Orleans levee

AProudLefty said:
Yes I saw that in the video. Co-pilot told him to watch out for that tree(?) on the left. Whew.
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There's higher risk of hitting something on land, but it can happen on water too as with Ethiopian Airlines flight 961 in the video below.

 
AProudLefty said:
What mistake? He was enjoying the view? LOL.
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That's the problem. To see the Hudson on climbout out he has to be looking out the side window. He wasn't looking straight ahead to spot the flock of geese...which is pretty fucking hard to miss if you're looking at them. :)

I have the highest respect for Captain Sullivan. He and his First Officer, Jeffrey Skiles, did an excellent job putting it down safely and getting everyone off the aircraft. Sully ran to the back of a sinking airplane to make sure no one was left aboard.
 
Dutch Uncle said:
That's the problem. To see the Hudson on climbout out he has to be looking out the side window. He wasn't looking straight ahead to spot the flock of geese...which is pretty fucking hard to miss if you look at them.
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Hmm. Now that's interesting. I wonder why they didn't mention that in the movie? Maybe they don't want to show his faults?
 
AProudLefty said:
Hmm. Now that's interesting. I wonder why they didn't mention that in the movie? Maybe they don't want to show his faults?
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Because, like reporters, Hollywood assholes don't know shit about flying. Hollywood movies with airplanes in them almost always have some major bullshit in them.....a fact my wife found out when we first started dating and we'd watch a movie with flying in it. She'd be watching, getting into the drama and I'd suddenly shout "Bullshit!" Some are pretty bad such as going from the cabin into the cargo compartment or some nonsense about pressurization.

From Sully's flight:
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AProudLefty said:
I was thinking about that. Apparently Sully was so complacent after so many years as a pilot. It's human nature.
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It is human nature. He was only distracted for a moment but it was his bad luck that moment included a flock of geese on an intercept course. Not just that, but a flock so large it took out both engines. That's very rare indeed.

It only takes seconds which is why it takes constant vigilance at critical stages of flight. If he was climbing out at 180 knots, that's 3 nautical miles/minute or a mile every 20 seconds. It would be difficult to spot a flock of geese at a mile, depending upon lighting and angle. He would have to be looking straight ahead, spot them then react, which takes a second or two on its own. Bad luck coupled with high speeds and a momentary distraction is all it took.

FWIW, the First Officer was flying and would have been looking down at his instruments to maintain proper heading and climb speed.
 
Dutch Uncle said:
FWIW, the First Officer was flying and would have been looking down at his instruments to maintain proper heading and climb speed.
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Oh yes. Like that co-pilot who told the pilot to watch out for that tree on the left. But yeah. There are too many factors, and that includes human nature.
 
Note in the transcript there are 33 seconds from when Sully comments about the Hudson to when he says "Birds", which is immediately followed by impact. Descending into a flock of birds is bad because they are under the nose and might not be seen until the last second but on climbout, they are above and in front.
If looking forward, large birds are relatively easy to spot much less a flock of geese. 33 seconds of distraction in a +6 hour flight (to Seattle) isn't much in comparison, but it was enough. Shit happens.
Dutch Uncle said:
FWIW I've met Captain Sullivan a couple times at annual ALPA Safety conference in DC. Really nice guy and very humble. Part of that is because he knows as well as most airline pilots that it was partially his fault. ;)

His mistake is in the CVR transcript: https://www.tailstrike.com/150109.htm
15:26:07 HOT-1 fifteen.
15:26:08 HOT-2 fifteen. climb.
15:26:10 HOT-1 climb set.
15:26:16 HOT-2 and flaps one please.
15:26:17 HOT-1 flaps one.
15:26:37 HOT-1 uh what a view of the Hudson today.
15:26:42 HOT-2 yeah.
15:26:52 HOT-2 flaps up please, after takeoff checklist.
15:26:54 HOT-1 flaps up.
15:27:07 HOT-1 after takeoff checklist complete.
15:27:10.4 HOT-1 birds.
15:27:11 HOT-2 whoa.
15:27:11.4 CAM [sound of thump/thud(s) followed by shuddering sound]
15:27:12 HOT-2 oh #.
15:27:13 HOT-1 oh yeah.
15:27:13 CAM [sound similar to decrease in engine noise/frequency begins]
15:27:14 HOT-2 uh oh.
15:27:15 HOT-1 we got one rol- both of 'em rolling back.
15:27:18 CAM [rumbling sound begins and continues until approximately 15:28:08]
15:27:18.5 HOT-1 ignition, start.
15:27:21.3 HOT-1 I'm starting the APU.
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