Since it is not classified, and for the sake of Flight Safety, here it goes:
FROM : AIRBUS FLIGHT SAFETY DEPARTMENT TOULOUSE
ACCIDENT INFORMATION TELEX - ACCIDENT INFORMATION TELEX
SUBJECT: US AIRWAYS Flight US1549 ACCIDENT IN NEW YORK
OUR REF: USA US1549 AIT N°2 DATED 23rd JANUARY 2009
Previous ref: USA US1549 AIT N°1 DATED 16 JANUARY 2009
SUBJECT: US AIRWAYS Flight US1549 ACCIDENT IN NEW YORK
This is an update to the AIT N°1 issued on 16th January 2009.
The information which follow has been approved for release by the US National Transport Safety
Board (NTSB) and represent the highlights from the initial analysis of the available data: mainly
Digital Flight Data Recorder, aircraft components, ATC script and radar.
The A320 aircraft was operating a scheduled flight US1549 from New York, La Guardia airport to
Charlotte, Virginia on 15th January 2009, when the aircraft ditched on the Hudson river shortly
after take-off at 15:30 local time.
The aircraft performed a normal flex take-off in slats/flaps configuration 2 from La Guardia airport
with the co-pilot as Pilot Flying.
At time T0, soon after the aircraft was in clean configuration at an airspeed of about 210kts, both
engines suffered a simultaneous and sudden loss of thrust at about 3000ft pressure altitude. The
engines N1 decreased abruptly to 35% and 15% on engines 1 & 2 respectively. This sudden and
simultaneous loss of engine thrust is consistent with the reported bird strike on both engines and
also with the initial observations from the remaining engine 2. (Recovery of engine 1 being still in
progress).
The captain took immediately control of the aircraft making smooth nose-down pitch inputs to
maintain the airspeed at about 200kts.
At approximately T0+20 sec, the crew changed the aircraft heading towards the Hudson river.
There was no more response from the engine N°2. The engine N°1 continued to deliver a
minimum thrust (N1 around 35%) for about 2 minutes and 20 seconds after T0.
At approximately T0+2min20sec, the crew attempted at about 500ft/200kts a quick relight on
engine 1 without success.
The crew then selected slat/flap configuration 2 which was achieved.
From then on and until the ditching, the heading remained almost constant. The speed decreased
from 200kts to 130kts.
Ditching occurred 3 minutes and 30 seconds after the thrust loss in the following conditions:
- Airspeed was about 130kts (at the Gross Weight, Valpha max is 125kts and Valpha prot is
132kts)
- Pitch attitude was 10 degrees up and bank attitude was at 0 degree.
- Flaps and slats were in configuration 2. Landing gear up
It is to be noted that at all times during the event and up until the ditching, the normal electrical
supply (AC and DC buses) and all three hydraulic systems were fully operational and the flight
control law remained in Normal law.
In line with ICAO Annex 13 International convention, the US NTSB (National Transportation
Safety Board) continues the investigation assisted by Accredited Representatives from the
French BEA (Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses) as State of aircraft manufacturer. Airbus
continues to support the NTSB investigation with advisors on-site and in the various investigation
working groups.
Airbus has no specific recommendations at this stage. Should there be the need for
recommendation as a result of the investigation, operators will be notified accordingly.