Previewing Miracle Landing on the Hudson

It has been five years since a flock of Canadian geese flew into the engines of a U.S. Airways Flight 1549 resulting in an emergency landing on the Hudson River during a cold day in January. This Sunday the National Geographic Channel will take an in depth look at the event with Miracle Landing on the Hudson. The two hour special will feature firsthand stories of the passengers on board (some of which actually contradict each other) with reenactments to give you a better idea of what they went through.

The special starts off with someone retelling of a dream of them standing on the banks of a river watching a plane crash. She went to the airport only decide not the board the plane. The next plane she boarded days later turned out to be the fateful U.S. Airways plane. Another tells a story of the day before the flight praying to God to take him instead of his wife who was wait on a cancer result. It came back negative and found himself on the plane the very next day thinking God was collecting on the bargain.

About ten passengers in all share their stories, including a family with a small child and a baby, and a woman and the husband she called moments before impact. Also interviewed are a stewardess, the air flight controller on duty that day, a couple of the first responders, and the co-pilot on the flight (Captain Sully Sullenberger is noticeably absent). After hearing these firsthand accounts it becomes even more amazing that all 150 passengers not only made it off the plane alive, but there were very few serious injuries that occurred that day.

Miracle Landing on the Hudson premieres this Sunday at 9:00 on the National Geographic Channel.