What happened
Shortly after departing LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York City, an aircraft bound for Charlotte Douglas International Airport encountered a large flock of birds. This encounter resulted in a near-total loss of thrust across both engines. Approximately two minutes after takeoff, the crew was forced to perform an emergency ditching on the Hudson River, roughly 8.5 miles from the airport.
Following the impact with the water, all 150 passengers, which included one child traveling on a lap, along with 5 crew members, were able to evacuate the aircraft. The evacuation was conducted using the overwing and forward exits. While the aircraft sustained substantial damage during the incident, the majority of those on board were able to exit the plane.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine power loss was an encounter with a flock of birds shortly after departure.
- The incident resulted in five serious injuries, involving one flight attendant and four passengers.