Both engines missing from jet ditched in Hudson ('Miracle on the Hudson' .. 'Sully' feeling fine.)

AP on Yahoo ^ | 1/16/09 | Jennifer Peltz and Cristian Salazar - ap

[NormsRevenge]

NEW YORK – Federal investigators said both engines are missing from the US Airways jetliner that ditched into the Hudson River as reports emerged that the pilot who safely landed the aircraft had considered an emergency landing at two airports. Police divers were using sonar to find the engines, which was believed to be in the water.

As investigators scoured the wreckage of the Airbus A320, many of the 155 people aboard recounted survivor stories and hailed the pilot as a hero who delivered them from certain death.

The pilot, Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III, was in good spirits and showing no outward signs of stress from the ordeal, a pilots union official said.

[Vendome]

Langoliers?

[SuziQ]

But how would a flock of geese tear off two engines?

No, but the geese would have thrown them into huge vibrations, that, coupled with the landing on the water, might have made it more easy for them to be torn from the body of the plane.

My hubby, SirKit, reckons that the reason the plane floated so long, and all were able to get off of it, before it started to sink, was because the engines were gone, and weren't weighing the wings down.

[BluH2o]

The engines may have been looted overnight.

If they fell on the Cross Bronx Expressway they were stripped by looters within minutes. Driving the CBE is one of those places you don't want to have car trouble.

[Vendome]

Ya’ beat me. I forgot Captain Kirk was in the Langolier

[SuziQ]

Driving the CBE is one of those places you don't want to have car trouble.

I'd heard that for years, but only saw it in 1981, when we lived in NJ. We went camping up in Vermont, and drove from Ft. Lee, with a friend who lived there. When we got on the Cross Bronx, we saw a car on the side of the road, and our friend commented that in less than 1/2 an hour, it would be stripped clean of any useful part that could be sold. A couple of miles further down the road, we saw just that; what was left of a stripped car.

I'd also heard of the 'bombed out' look of buildings in the Bronx, and on that trip, saw those too.

[A.A. Cunningham]

N106US was equipped with CFM56 Series engines.

---

FAA Registry
N-Number Inquiry Results

---

N106US is Assigned

Aircraft Description

Serial Number		1044		Type Registration		Corporation
Manufacturer Name		AIRBUS INDUSTRIE		Certificate Issue Date		08/05/1999
Model		A320-214		Status		Valid
Type Aircraft		Fixed Wing Multi-Engine		Type Engine		Turbo-Fan
Pending Number Change		None		Dealer		No
Date Change Authorized		None		Mode S Code		50016321
MFR Year		1999		Fractional Owner		NO

---

Registered Owner

Name		WELLS FARGO BANK NORTHWEST NA TRUSTEE
Street		299 S MAIN ST MAC U1228-120
City		SALT LAKE CITY	State	UTAH		Zip Code	84111-2263
County		SALT LAKE
Country		UNITED STATES

---

Airworthiness

Engine Manufacturer		CFM INTL.		Classification	Standard
Engine Model		CFM56 SERIES		Category	Transport
				A/W Date	08/30/1999

This is the most current Airworthiness Certificate data, however, it may not reflect the current aircraft configuration. For that information, see the aircraft record. A copy can be obtained at http://162.58.35.241/e.gov/ND/airrecordsND.asp

---

Other Owner Names
None

---

[Wolfstar]

Were the engines ripped off when it hit the water?

If not immediately on impact, then shortly afterwards as the plane's momentum carried it downstream. Here's a photo of the plane as it was coming in for it's landing in the Hudson River. You can see both engines are mounted close to and below the fuselage. In that location, they would have acted as huge water scoops, probably helping to keep the plane from cartwheeling. But the weight and action of large volumes of water rushing through the already damaged engine housings likely would have ripped the engines off the plane.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Good question raised...FR Thread:

Vanity - Does the loss of both engines mean no hydraulic pressure?

[mowowie]

Just what i was thinking.

[NormsRevenge]

Thanks! Good pic!

[Wolfstar]

Thanks! Good pic!

You're welcome, Norm. I saw a video clip of the plane descending on local TV yesterday here in L.A., but have been unable to find the video online. I think this still pic is from the video.

Despite all the humorous and sarcastic posts here, and the dumb ones that immediately leap to conspiracy conclusions, what happened to the engines is obvious. They are sitting on the bottom of the murky Hudson, and divers will find them eventually.

[ops33]

In the aviation industry the bird hazards at JFK and La Guardia are well known. Both JFK and La Guardia are located next to water and for years have had serious problems with bird concentrations on or near the airport. Both airports have tried to take steps to mitigate the hazard but have always run into opposition from environmental and animial welfare groups. Several years ago I was at a bird strike reduction planning meeting sponsored by the FAA, the airlines and aviation safety groups. A representative from La Guardia airport made a presentation highlighting the bird hazard at that airport and all the problems they have had with the animal rights groups opposing efforts to reduce the hazard. After the presentation I had a casual conversation with him and remember him commenting that one day the birds at JFK and La Guardia were going to bring down an airliner. I am only glad there were no serious injuries.

[AFreeBird]

Both GE & RR are used, even on same make and manufacture, and even airline.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Bird gets ingested in airplane engine

[Jackson57]

Wonder how many “extra passengers” will start filing law suits (like when there are bus accidents and people start jumping on)? They’ll need to watch video of the rescues to make sure there aren’t any folks swimming from shore to get on the wings before the boats get there.

[taildragger]

. Here's a photo of the plane as it was coming in for it's landing in the Hudson River. You can see both engines are mounted close to and below the fuselage. In that location, they would have acted as huge water scoops, probably helping to keep the plane from cartwheeling.

Wolfstar

I wonder about that...

He came in with a high AOA. My guess is they would have contributed to a cartwheel and he is trying to prevent it.

When a Seaplane or Amphibian land with the gear down in the water it flips. I wonder if that goes the same for Nacelles.....

[Blood of Tyrants]

Believe it or not, jet engines are relatively light. An interview with a passenger said that at first a lot of people headed to the back of the aircraft and it began to go down tail first. People yelled to calm down and to go back forward and then the plane leveled out again.

[Wolfstar]

He came in with a high AOA.

I wish I could find an online copy of the video of that plane's approach over the Hudson, but can't. Even so, if you were to see it, you're realize that the pilot (who also has flown gliders) brought the plane down in a textbook glide. By the time he landed, the plane was not at a high AOA at all.

Also, it's simple physics. Two heavy engines immediately on either side of and below the fuselage would initially act as pontoons for the heaviest part of the plane, helping to stabilize it. But the pilot deserves the majority of the credit because, as I said, it was a textbook glider-type landing.

[sionnsar]

Police divers were using sonar to find the engines, which was believed to be in the water.

Nice MSM report -- not only the lack of logic (gee, ya think they might be found on the 43rd floor of the Empyre Staight Bilding), but the poor Grammar, or Gramper, or...

[GnL]

50/50 joint venture between GE and SNECMA of France. GE has always designed and built the core (HPC, combustor, and HPT) and SNECMA has provided the low pressure compressor and low pressure turbine. GE provides the electronic control unit as well (the brains of the engine and the interface w/the aircraft). CFM engines are the most prevalent commercial fan engine in the world—various models powering the B737 (except the -200), A320, A340.