Pilot told controllers: We’re going to be in the Hudson

THE pilot of US Airways Flight 1549, which ditched into New York’s Hudson River last month, calmly radioed to air traffic controllers: “We’re going to be in the Hudson.”

The audio recordings, released yesterday by the Federal Aviation Administration, reflect the initial tension between tower controllers and the cockpit and then confusion about whether the passenger jet went into the river.

“Emergency inbound,” one tower controller says as he tries to arrange for the plane to land at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey.

“Can I get him in for Runway One?” the controller at LaGuardia Airport asks the tower at Teterboro.

“Runway One, that’s good,” says the tower controller at Teterboro.

“1529 turn right two-eight-zero” for Teterboro, the LaGuardia tower orders the pilot.

“We can’t do it,” replies the plane’s pilot.

“Which runway would you like at Teterboro?” asks the tower at LaGuardia.

“We’re going to be in the Hudson,” the pilot replies.

“I’m sorry, say again,” an air traffic controller responded after hearing the pilot’s message that he was ditching the Airbus A320.

There was no response from the aircraft.

Pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger has told FAA investigators he glided the plane into the river rather than risking a catastrophic crash in a densely populated area. All 155 on board survived.

The trouble began moments after Flight 1549 took off on January 15.

“Hit birds, we lost thrust in both engines, we’re turning back to LaGuardia,” the aircraft reported.

Controllers handling the departure told the LaGuardia tower: “Tower, stop your departures, we got an emergency returning.”

After identifying the flight, they said, “He lost all engines, he lost the thrust in the engines, he is returning immediately.”

But less than 20 seconds later, Flight 1549 reported: “We’re unable. We may end up in the Hudson.”

The National Transportation Safety Board said yesterday they’ve confirmed there were birds in both the airliner’s engines. Remains from both engines have also been sent to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington to have the particular bird species identified.

The safety board also said that an engine surge experienced by aircraft during a flight two days before the accident was due to a faulty temperature sensor. The sensor was replaced, and the engine was examined and found to be undamaged before being returned to service.