On the fateful afternoon of January 15, 2009, Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, portrayed by Tom Hanks, along with First Officer Jeff Skiles, played by Aaron Eckhart, embarks on US Airways Flight 1549 from LaGuardia Airport to Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Just three minutes into the flight, at an altitude of approximately 2,800 ft (850 m), the Airbus A320 encounters a flock of birds, leading to catastrophic damage to both engines. Faced with limited options, they realize that returning to any nearby airports, including Teterboro, isn't a feasible choice. With remarkable skill and quick judgment, Sully makes the bold decision to ditch the plane in the Hudson River.
A seasoned captain with an exemplary record, Sully finds himself hailed as a hero after the flight's emergency landing, where all passengers and crew members escape without fatalities despite suffering only mild injuries. However, the aftermath leaves him grappling with trauma. As he struggles to cope with the attention from the media that scrutinizes him and his family, particularly his wife Lorraine Sullenberger, portrayed by Laura Linney, he seeks refuge in alcohol yet finds no solace in the chaos surrounding him.
While in New York City for investigative purposes, Sully discovers that preliminary data from the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) suggests that the left engine was operational at idle power. Charles Porter leads the investigation, joined by Dr. Elizabeth Davis and Ben Edwards. Sully firmly believes this was not a crash but rather a forced water landing. Drawing from his extensive experience, he articulates that he requested to return to LaGuardia, but recognizing the inadequate speed and altitude, opted for the Hudson instead—effectively wagering both his and the lives of the passengers on that split-second decision.
The investigation casts doubts regarding Sully's judgment, indicating that the plane theoretically could have successfully landed at LaGuardia or Teterboro. Tensions rise as Sully and Skiles clash with the investigators. The pilot's union, represented by Mike Cleary, and his friend Larry Rooney emphasize Sully's incredible track record, as he finds himself under scrutiny for a crisis that unfolded in just 208 seconds.
Skiles points out that Sully's activation of the Auxiliary Power Unit—the 15th item on the Airbus checklist—proved vital, contributing to their successful landing. However, he remains perplexed by the conflicting data from the simulations that indicate otherwise.
As the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) starts to lean towards a narrative of pilot error, which threatens Sully's career, he takes the initiative to have the simulations rerun with live pilots, ultimately showcasing successful landings. Sully reflects on the harrowing flight, detailing how the cold day turned into a life-or-death situation due to the bird strike that incapacitated the engines. When Patrick Harten, the air traffic controller, clears the path for Flight 1549, Sully makes the decisive command: “Brace for impact.”
After executing the water landing, he ensures the evacuation of the aircraft, as emergency services respond swiftly, with multiple ferries arriving within 24 minutes and 1,200 rescue workers mobilized. The iconic image of passengers standing on the wings, surrounded by rescuers, captures the moment of survival.
Once aboard a ferry, Sully's first call is to Lorraine, anxious to confirm the survival of all 155 individuals on board. Upon learning of the successful evacuation, he grapples with the implications of the investigation, adamantly arguing that the NTSB's simulations lacked realism. With powerful assertions about the necessity of a realistic approach to evaluate the situation, the NTSB agrees to rerun the tests, leading to inconclusive results that validate Sully's account.
Ultimately, the investigation culminates in confirmation that the left engine was indeed destroyed by the birds, and Sully's decisions prove prudent in ensuring the safety of everyone aboard Flight 1549. He praises the teamwork and bravery of the entire crew and the rescue teams who played a crucial role in the incident's successful outcome.
