Hearing over Hudson flight finds safety problems

WASHINGTON — Moments before steering US Airways Flight 1549 into the Hudson River, Captain Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III warned the cabin: "Brace for impact."

Denise Lockie, in seat 2C, put her head between her knees.

Tracey Wolsko, who had been listening to her iPod and reading a romance novel, removed her glasses and high heels and placed an airline pillow between her face and the seat back in front of her.

Billy Campbell, in seat 25A, didn't know what "brace for impact" meant, so he decided to "sort of brace" and looked out the window, trying to remain calm.

Last week, the National Transportation Safety Board held a three-day public hearing on the Hudson incident, the result of a bird strike that caused the Airbus A320 jetliner to lose thrust in both engines and land in the river about four minutes later.

The incident, which caused five serious injuries but no fatalities, has been called a "miracle" for nearly six months. But the NTSB hearing -- along with documents released last week -- revealed some problems with safety equipment and procedures, including confusion over how passengers should prepare for impact.

The jetliner was equipped with flotation vests, slides next to its wings and four life rafts, two of which became unusable after the plane's fuselage fractured on impact, allowing water to cover the rear exits.

Campbell testified that after the plane landed in the Hudson, water began pouring through the "seams" of his window.

Seeing others rush forward, he said, he turned back but was told by a flight attendant that the rear exits were not usable. So he climbed and splashed over the sinking blue seats until he reached an exit behind the cockpit.

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Causes for concern

Campbell's testimony raised two concerns:

When he boarded the raft -- the last passenger to do so -- it was still tethered to the sinking plane. The pouch that held the cutting device was never located because the raft was so crowded; it wasn't until a ferryboat rescuer tossed Sullenberger a knife that the raft lines were cut free.

Campbell also recalled being unable to dislodge the safety vest from his seat. He wasn't sure why.

Many passengers, the testimony also showed, did not take flotation devices with them when they left the plane, although crew members and some passengers gathered life vests and tossed them out to the evacuees.