American pilot Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger III, a former military pilot, had just taken off on an AirBus A320, US Airways Flight 1549, from New York’s La Guardia Airport when he struck a flock of ducks, igniting both engines. With incredible speed and composure, he immediately decided to land in the Hudson River just off Manhattan, avoiding a couple of bridges and landing on water, saving the crew and all 155 passengers. Before leaving the plane, he was the last to double-check it to make sure no one was left aboard.
