US Airways Flight 1549 landed in which river after encountering a flock of Canada Geese shortly after takeoff from LaGuardia?

• A. The Atlantic Ocean
• B. The Hudson River
• C. The East River
• D. The Delaware River

Answer: (B)

When an aircraft faces a severe bird strike and loses thrust, pilots weigh options to maximize survivability and often choose a water landing in a nearby safe body of water. In this case, US Airways Flight 1549 struck a flock of Canada geese shortly after takeoff from LaGuardia and found it necessary to ditch in water after both engines failed. The crew performed a controlled landing on the Hudson River, which runs along Manhattan’s west side and provides a broad, accessible stretch for a safe evacuation in an urban area. The East River is not where this event occurred, and the Atlantic Ocean or Delaware River are not the nearby landing sites in this scenario. Therefore, the aircraft ended up on the Hudson River.