US Airways Accident Lawsuits May be Filed Despite Miracle on the Hudson

Although Capt. Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger was able to masterfully land US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River last week, delivering all 155 passengers safely back to land with only minimal personal injuries reported, airplane accident lawsuits could still end up being filed by some passengers after the investigation into the cause of the crash landing is complete.

The accident occurred on January 15, 2009, after both of the plane’s engines failed shortly after takeoff from New York City’s La Guardia Airport, while it was en route to North Carolina’s Charlotte Douglas (International) Airport.

The investigation into the airplane accident is still continuing, but all indications suggest that a flock of large birds took out the engines. The National transportation Safety Board has discovered feathers and other evidence of bird strikes from the plane’s wings, engine and fuselage.

According to a report by the Associated Press earlier this week, a number of US Airways accident lawsuits could still be filed by passengers who suffered mainly minimal injuries in the crash and subsequent rescue from the freezing water of the Hudson River.

Mechanical failure or defect has not been ruled out as a possible contributing factor for both engines going out at the same time. Reports suggest that the same airplane experienced engine problems just two days before the crash, when a compressor stalled.

If the bird strikes are determined to be the only cause of the plane accident, lawsuits could also be filed alleging that inadequate steps were in place to drive away large birds from the area, which is a known hazard at LaGuardia since it is surrounded by water on three sides.

As a result of the ‘Miracle on the Hudson’, no lives were lost in the crash, continuing a trend of more than two years with no airplane accident deaths involving U.S. carriers.

The only other major incident involving a U.S. airline in the last two years occurred on December 20, 2008, when in a Continental Airlines accident where the plane skidded off of the runway in Denver. Although no fatalities or serious injuries were reported, at least two passengers have already filed a runway accident lawsuit against the airline.