Saw the movie this afternoon. When that tidbit came out I nearly hit the ceiling. Why in the Hell did the Feds allow the results of that simulation be taken seriously? The fact that they did, and then had to be ASKED about it shifts their investigation into the witch-hunt category.
Suspicion started, for me, when I heard "algorithms" and "computer simulation". I thought desk jockeys and geeks acting like they know more than the guys who went through it.
I get the distinct feeling that, despite their kudos at the end, the Feds were looking to advance their careers over the pilot and co-pilot's bodies.
They didn't. This is a movie. The writer needed a villain so they picked the NTSB. In fact when Airbus first came up with the simulations that showed the airplane could have made the airport it was the NTSB that pointed out that the simulations had not included the 30-odd seconds the crew used to analyze the situation and requested the simulations be run again with it. The NTSB completely exonerated the crew and early on arrived at the conclusion that Sullenberger made the only possible decision to save the life of his crew and passengers.