Originally published at: Two Rescued After Cessna Ditches in Hudson River
Investigations have begun following Monday evening Hudson River incident involving a 1978 Skyhawk.
They didn’t attempt an emergency landing, as the article states, they performed it. Bringing the airplane down into the water and being able to swim to shore unharmed qualifies as a successful execution of the maneuver.
Surprising - Gov Hochul didn’t announce future Hudson River landing fees.
I am certainly glad they escaped but sadly another classic 172 goes to the scrap heap.
Another single engine airplane goes down. I guess following a river is a good idea if you musts cross NYC.
Another talking head, does she thank her master when people survive traffic accidents?
I presume the Instructor landed the aircraft; since the aircraft did not flip over; everything was done correctly: assumptions: full flaps, touched on the ice at 48 mph, skidded on the ice while slowing down more, and then dropping into the water. The only scenario I know for the aircraft not to flip over in the water. And hearing from the pilot instructor is needed. Water landings are never perfect, except in this case, remarkably, and why fixed gear aircraft almost always flip over. Making this landing a true miracle.
Does not look like a scrap heap problem. Just a dry out problem. Aircraft is still intact, in one piece, remarkably! Probably depends on how careful the salvagers are in pulling the aircraft from the water!
Impressive that it didn’t flip. It would be much harder to extricate, and deal with inrushing very cold water, if the plane inverted. Excellent job by whoever flew it to the surface. That ice looks too broken up to have changed touch-down dynamics very much; must have been well slowed-down and pitched up to end up upright.