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As Tapes Released, Pilot Recalls Landing

AP
posted: 247 DAYS 2 HOURS AGO
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(Feb. 5) - Hero pilot Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger says the moments after both engines of US Airways Flight 1549 lost power were the worst of his life.
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He told Katie Couric in a CBS "60 Minutes" interview it was "the worst sickening, pit-of-your-stomach, falling-through-the-floor feeling" he's ever had.
Sullenberger said his first reaction when birds flew into the plane's engines was disbelief.
He glided the Airbus A320 over the George Washington Bridge and into the Hudson River. All 155 people aboard survived.
The captain praised New York City's first responders. He said "thank you seems totally inadequate" and he has "a debt of gratitude" he fears he may never be able to repay.
The interview is scheduled to air at 7 p.m. EST Sunday.
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Listen to Audio From Flight 1549 Before the Landing
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Earlier Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration released recordings in which Sullenberger calmly radios to air traffic controllers, "We're going to be in the Hudson."
The audio recordings reflect the initial tension between tower controllers and the cockpit and then confusion about whether the passenger jet went into the river.
"Emergency inbound," one tower controller says as he tries to arrange for the stricken plane to land at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey.
"Can I get him in for Runway One?" the controller at La Guardia asks the tower at Teterboro.
"Runway One, that's good," says the tower controller at Teterboro.
"1529 turn right two-eight-zero" for Teterboro, the tower at LaGuardia orders the plane's pilot.
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"We can't do it," replies the plane's pilot.
"Which runway would you like at Teterboro?" asks the tower at LaGuardia.
"We're going to be in the Hudson," the pilot replies.
"I'm sorry, say again," an air traffic controller responded after hearing the pilot's message that he was ditching the Airbus A320.
There was no response from the aircraft.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2009-02-05 11:26:36

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Audio recordings of a conversation between the pilot of US Airways Flight 1549 and tower controllers reveal some confusion before the plane miraculously landed in New York\'s Hudson River. All 155 aboard survived the incident last month.