Miracle on the Hudson - US Airways crash in NYC

moose135moose135 Registered Users Posts: 1,413 Major grins
edited January 22, 2009 in Street and Documentary
By now, I'm sure most of you have heard about the US Airways Airbus A320 which ditched in the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon. The aircraft, US Airways Flight 1549, departed La Guardia Airport with 150 passengers and 5 crew. Shortly after takeoff, they encountered was is believed to be a flock of Canada Geese, and the multiple bird strikes caused them to loose power in both engines. With insufficient altitude to return to La Guardia or reach nearby Teterboro Airport, the flight crew opted to ditch the aircraft in the Hudson River. Thanks to a controlled touchdown, and the fast action by the nearby water taxi service, all 155 were rescued, most with only minor injuries. After the passengers and crew were rescued, the aircraft continued to float in the river, carried south by the current. It eventually was tied up near Battery Park City, some 4 miles from where it landed. It remained in the water until late Saturday night, when it was lifted onto a barge. It will be moved to a secure location so investigators can examine the aircraft.

Since this happened in my backyard, I have been out for the past few days shooting the remains of the aircraft.

Thursday night, around Midnight, with the aircraft tied up to the bulkhead - from our vantage point in the street (there is a park along the river that was closed to the public) all we could see was the left wing sticking up in the air:
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Some of the emergency response:
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It was a cold night, in the mid-20s F, but New York's fire, police, EMS, OEM, and a multitude of other agencies were all out in force:
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On Friday, an NYC Police Boat stands by near the remains of the aircraft, while investigators and recovery crews plan how to remove the aircraft from the river. By this point, the aircraft had sunk so that only one wing and part of the tail were visible above the water (as seen from Jersey City):
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The original plan was to lift the aircraft on Saturday morning. However crews were faced with a new problem, ice which formed on the river around the aircraft overnight. Saturday morning was the coldest it's been in NYC in 4 years, coming in at around 4 degrees F. NYPD, FDNY and Coast Guard boats worked to break up the ice. After 7 1/2 hours on a pier in Jersey City with two other photographer friends, hoping to photograph the lift, we finally called it a day.
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Woke up Sunday morning to learn they had lifted the aircraft out of the water and onto a barge around Midnight. But when I heard that the barge was still tied up at Battery Park City, I had to take another run in to try to catch some photos. Temperatures above the freezing point also made today a much better day for being out shooting.
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A US Airways employee photographing their bird.
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The damaged right side engine. The left side engine broke off the wing when they ditched. Crews are searching for it at the bottom of the Hudson.
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And finally, one more trip back to Jersey City for an overview of the aircraft on the barge.
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Thanks to the great work of the cockpit and cabin crews, the passengers, and the many vessel operators who responded, tragedy was averted, and New Yorkers have one more unique story to tell about the Big Apple.

More photos in my gallery here: http://moose135.smugmug.com/gallery/7107261_vnzaY/1/455682252_nhL8m

Comments

  • AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited January 18, 2009
    Moose, very good reportage!
  • TerrenceTerrence Registered Users Posts: 477 Major grins
    edited January 18, 2009
    Nice shots and very nice work stringing them together.
    Terrence

    My photos

    "The future is an illusion, but a damned handy one." - David Allen
  • SkippySkippy Registered Users Posts: 12,075 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2009
    moose135 wrote:
    By now, I'm sure most of you have heard about the US Airways Airbus A320 which ditched in the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon. The aircraft, US Airways Flight 1549, departed La Guardia Airport with 150 passengers and 5 crew. Shortly after takeoff, they encountered was is believed to be a flock of Canada Geese, and the multiple bird strikes caused them to loose power in both engines.

    Thursday night, around Midnight, with the aircraft tied up to the bulkhead - from our vantage point in the street (there is a park along the river that was closed to the public) all we could see was the left wing sticking up in the air:

    Thanks to the great work of the cockpit and cabin crews, the passengers, and the many vessel operators who responded, tragedy was averted, and New Yorkers have one more unique story to tell about the Big Apple.

    More photos in my gallery here: http://moose135.smugmug.com/gallery/7107261_vnzaY/1/455682252_nhL8m

    Hi Moose, I was getting ready for work the other day when this event suddenly aired on Australian TV.

    I thought ohhhhhh no, not another Air Disaster eek7.gif

    This could have all gone so horrible wrong, but thankfully it didn't.

    Thank you for showing us these images, I didn't get to see them take the plane out of the water, and I was wondering if it came up intact,
    now I can see from you pictures that the body was intact.

    I can't imagine what was going through the minds of all those on board.

    I think everyone was amazed that noone died in that crash.

    Excellent Reporting there Moose clap.gif .... Skippy :D
    .
    .
    Skippy (Australia) - Moderator of "HOLY MACRO" and "OTHER COOL SHOTS"

    ALBUM http://ozzieskip.smugmug.com/

    :skippy Everyone has the right to be stupid, but some people just abuse the privilege :dgrin
  • MitchellMitchell Registered Users Posts: 3,503 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2009
    Great series and great effort on your part. Thanks for posting these.thumb.gif
  • DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,951 moderator
    edited January 19, 2009
    Love this one:
    457180867_DiCeg-Th.jpg

    Great report too, thanks thumb.gif
    Erik
    moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]


  • Cygnus StudiosCygnus Studios Registered Users Posts: 2,294 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2009
    Great series. Thankfully this was as minor as it could have been.
    Steve

    Website
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited January 19, 2009
    Amazing story. Thanks for the pix!
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • TangoTango Registered Users Posts: 4,592 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2009
    DoctorIt wrote:
    Love this one:



    Great report too, thanks thumb.gif

    +1

    oh and DoctorIt, that avatar is too funny... enjoying the new home i seelol3.gif
    Aaron Nelson
  • XyrosXyros Registered Users Posts: 4 Beginner grinner
    edited January 19, 2009
    I had some exams last week, but when I heared about this I just couldn't believe it. I fly myself so I can understand how this pilot must have felt. And in that condition still to be able to make such a decission to land it on the water... And be able to keep it in one piece... Respect...
  • DeeDee Registered Users Posts: 2,981 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2009
    I was wondering if any dgrinner managed to get photos. What a wonderful story and happy ending to what could have been a disaster. I'm glad you got photos of the plane on the barge, was wondering how they were going to accomplish all this.

    Excellent job with the photos and with your telling your story. You must have really been traveling a bit to get over to the Jersey side and back. I'm glad you were able to do that to show both sides of the story.
  • jopapecajopapeca Registered Users Posts: 87 Big grins
    edited January 19, 2009
    Nice shots, good work.
    best regards
    Paulo Campos

    My photos at Flickr
  • BradfordBennBradfordBenn Registered Users Posts: 2,506 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2009
    Very nice
    -=Bradford

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  • eL eSs VeeeL eSs Vee Registered Users Posts: 1,243 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2009
    Thank you, Moose, for the great coverage and photos. Very well done on both counts. thumb.gifthumb.gif
    Lee
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  • redleashredleash Registered Users Posts: 3,840 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2009
    Excellent images and explanations--thanks so much for sharing. Your piece was much better than seeing it on the TV news!
    "But ask the animals, and they will teach you." (Job 12:7)

    Lauren Blackwell
    www.redleashphoto.com
  • moose135moose135 Registered Users Posts: 1,413 Major grins
    edited January 22, 2009
    The aircraft has been moved to Jersey City, still on the barge, for the investigation, and I took a ride over this afternoon. Incredibly, it is in an area that is easily accessible for public viewing, and there were probably a dozen people out taking photographs when I was there.

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    You can see the damage to the lower fuselage where it hit the water:
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    NYPD was just departing when I got there.
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    After taking a bunch of shots, I made a stop for lunch, then headed back over for one last look. To my horror, I discovered that in the hour that I was away, they removed the right side engine, placing it down near the nose.
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  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited January 22, 2009
    It's amazing how intact the aircraft is. Just amazing.
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • grimacegrimace Registered Users Posts: 1,534 Major grins
    edited January 22, 2009
    WOW Moose!! Incredible job!!
  • FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited January 22, 2009
    Great series!! Thank you so much for sharing them here!

    Virginia
    _______________________________________________
    "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

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