I saw the Airbus A320 plane that crashed in the Hudson River 15 years ago. I was moved by the rawness of the exhibit and survivors.

Taylor RainsJun 16, 2024, 18:05 IST

The birds that hit the A320 were Canadian geese.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The Airbus A320 airliner that ditched in the Hudson River in 2009 is now an aviation artifact.
None of the 155 passengers and crew died during the "Miracle on the Hudson" crash.

On January 15, 2009, a fully loaded US Airways Airbus A320 plane ditched into the Hudson River after a bird strike caused both engines to fail.

The accident has since been described as the "Miracle on the Hudson" because none of the 155 passengers and crew onboard died.

Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles were in the cockpit that day and had just seconds to make a life-or-death decision.

Recognizing the aircraft was running on near zero thrust at just 2,800 feet above the densely-populated New York City, Sully saw the river as his only nearby obstacle-free option.

"I couldn't afford to be wrong," Sully said during his testimony in front of the National Transportation Safety Board.

The crew's heroism is now cemented in the Sullenberger Aviation Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina, which opened in June and features the real A320 jet as its centerpiece.

As an aviation safety professional turned journalist, I had to visit the plan as soon as I could. I love that it has been given a second life, representing not only the power of bravery and skill but also inspiring future generations to get involved in aviation.

The famous A320 displayed in Charlotte is the real aircraft — not a replica — and is complete with all the damage it suffered in the crash.

The Miracle on the Hudson aircraft is on display in Charlotte.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

There's a hole in the nose and extensive breakage along the fuselage and tail.

The birds that hit the A320 were Canadian geese.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The wings were attached to the jet, but the flaps were wrecked from the crash.

Wing damage on the left and right wings.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The two destroyed engines are on either side of the aircraft, and the auxiliary power unit, or APU, sits behind.

The APU dislodged from the aircraft.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Visitors cannot go inside the jet, but photos displayed show it looks like a regular aircraft cabin.

Sully inside the Miracle on the Hudson A320.Todd Sumlin/Charlotte Observer/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

The plane's underbelly took the brunt of the impact, and I could see where it was torn off.

"I felt water around my feet immediately, and it was cold," Flight 1549 passenger Vicki Barnhardt, seat 26C, said in the museum video.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The damage was extensive, but the aircraft was otherwise surprisingly intact.

The tail number on the jet reads N106US.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Next to the plane was a case of personal belongings donated by the crew and passengers.

The display case sat below a large video screen.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

It was like a time capsule seeing the old Blackberry cell phone and MacBook Pro.

The display case had all sorts of donations from the passengers and crew.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The most moving element of the exhibit was the film that played on a loop. It told the story of Flight 1549 from takeoff to landing in the Hudson.

Passengers, like Brian Siegel, seat 8E, were interviewed for the video.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The comments were raw, and I couldn't help but get emotional. The crew gets a lot of praise, but the passengers also showed incredible bravery.

Miracle on the Hudson passengers.Mike Coppola/FilmMagic via Getty Images

Flight 1549's rescue was swift, with boats and helicopters approaching within minutes.

Rescue boats at crash site.Mario Tama/Getty Images

Flight attendants Donna Denta, Sheila Dail, and Doreen Welsh shouted commands as passengers braced for impact.

Donna Dent (2nd L) speaks at a press conference with Sheila Dail (L), Doreen Welsh(3rd L), Jeffrey Skiles (3rd R), Mayor Bloomberg (2nd R), and Sully (R).Michael Nagle/Getty Images

Quoted in the display was a comment from passenger Ben Bostic, seat 20A, who noted the unbelievable response effort.

Miracle on the Hudson A320.Reuters

The plane sat at the bottom of the Hudson for two days before being lifted out and taken to New Jersey for the investigation.

Photos on display at the museum show the luggage inside the A320.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

During the investigation, the museum inquired about getting part of the plane but that turned into a donation of the entire jet.

The A320 wheeled into the museum in November 2023 in preparation for the second rendition of the Miracle on the Hudson exhibit.Sullenberger Aviation Museum

It was a monumental task to transport the jet from New Jersey to North Carolina, first arriving in Charlotte in 2011.

Miracle on the Hudson A320 getting transported via road to Charlotte.Tim Shaffer/Reuters

The engines were delivered a year later.

The museum must fight corrosion, though the aircraft is in a temperature-controlled environment, which helps.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The original exhibit closed in 2019 to make way for the new, and I love the focus on not just the crash but the evolution of aviation safety.

Aviation safety is always evolving, and accidents like Flight 1549 help systems improve.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Most notable was the human factors element, as Sully and Skiles had just seconds to decide how to save the plane.

First officer Jeff Skiles (L) and Captain "Sully" Sullenberger (R) pose with the Historical 1958 DC7 to benefit hosted by Historical Flight Foundation on November 17, 2011, in Miami, Florida.Larry Marano/Getty Images

I stayed at an all-inclusive Margaritaville for $350 a night. I left convinced it's the best resort in Mexico — and I'm not even a Jimmy Buffett fan.

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