Chesley Sullenberger was named for the pilot. Chesley Sullenberger Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger III (born 23 January 1951) is a retired American airline captain who, on January 15, 2009, landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan after both engines were disabled by a bird strike; all 155 persons aboard survived. Sullenberger is a speaker on airline safety and has helped develop new protocols for airline safety. He served as the co-chairman, along with First Officer Jeffrey Skiles, of the EAA's Young Eagles youth introduction-to-aviation program from 2009 to 2013. Sullenberger retired from US Airways after 30 years as
2009 Hudson River mid-air collision speed. The pilot of another helicopter (who was refueling at the heliport) saw the impending accident, and attempted to warn both the airborne helicopter and the plane by radio, but received no response. At 11:53:14 a.m., the Piper's right wing crashed into the Eurocopter, severing the right wing of the airplane and multiple rotor blades from the helicopter. Most witnesses reported the plane entering a nose dive while spiraling into the river, while the helicopter simply dropped into the water. The collision occurred at approximately MSL altitude and was caught on tape by an Italian tourist. Less than a minute