WASHINGTON — The pilots and flight crew of the Charlotte-bound plane that crash landed last month in the Hudson River will testify Tuesday at a congressional hearing.
Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles and the three flight attendants on US Airways Flight 1549 are scheduled to recount the dramatic tale of the plane's aborted journey that ended in a way that few crashes do, with the safe evacuation and rescue of all 155 passengers and crew.
The five will appear before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's aviation subcommittee.
The panel, chaired by Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Ill., is examining lessons learned from the Jan. 15. crash, which is believed to have been caused by birds debilitating the plane's engines. Two bird strike experts are on the subcommittee's witness list.
Also scheduled to testify are safety officials from the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration, pilots and flight attendants unions and airport officials. The committee will review whether pilots and flight attendants receive the level of training necessary to facilitate a successful outcome.
Sullenberger landed the jet on the frigid waters of New York's Hudson River after the engines failed and the plane didn't have enough power to return to Laguardia or travel to any other airport.