US Airways Flight 1549 crashed a few minutes after takeoff into the Hudson River near Manhattan, New York, on January 15, 2009. Pilot Chesley B Sullenberger received praise for the successful landing maneuver that saved the lives of all 155 passengers on board.ABC News: Dramatic Rescue After US Airways Jet Crash... (January 15, 2009) Preliminary reports, supported by data from the plane's data recorder, indicate that the plane crashed after a flock of geese collided with the plane's engines. CNN.com: Recorders recovered from Hudson ... (January 18, 2009) Telegraph: New York Plane Pilot: 'We're Gonna Be..."... (January 18, 2009)

Shortly after the crash, Ukraine-based video game company Orb Games Ltd. created a Flash based game entitled Hero of the Hudson, which allows players to try their hand at safely landing Flight 1549 into the river.CNBC20: Meet Creator of 'Hero On The Hudson' Game (January 31, 2009)

Developers at Orb Games Ltd. created and released the online video game Hero of the Hudson less than a week after the crash of Flight 1549. According to Orb CEO, Andriy Sharanevych, the game was created in two days and received 1.5 million gameplays during its first week online. Although the company has received some negative feedback about the creation of a game that simulates a crash, Sharanevych maintains that he and his colleagues created the game to inspire hope and allow everyone the opportunity to play the hero.CNBC20: Meet Creator of 'Hero On The Hudson' Game (January 31, 2009)

On January 17, 2009, the wreckage of the plane was lifted out of the water. The flight data recorders or "black boxes" were sent to Washington, DC, where they will be analyzed.Bloombert: Radar Data...Witnesses Support US Airways... (January 17, 2009) Telegraph: New York Plane Pilot: 'We're Gonna Be..."... (January 18, 2009)

Analysis of the flight data recorders began on January 18, 2009. The recorders were in excellent condition and corroborated the story of the pilot and co-pilot. According to the data recorders, something hit the plane at 90 seconds after take off. Both engines lost power simultaneously, as the plane hit 3,200 feet in elevation. The pilot and co-pilot immediately went into emergency operations, signaling ground control crews of their situation and looking for a place to take the plane down. During the NTSB investigation, Captain Sullenberger said he chose to ditch the plane in the Hudson river to avoid "catastrophic consequences."CNN.com: Recorders recovered from Hudson ... (January 18, 2009)

Shortly after takeoff from New York's LaGuardia Airport, passengers of US Airways Flight 1549 reported hearing a loud bang. Three minutes after takeoff, the pilot attempted to return to the airport, having reported a "bird strike." Unable to return, he made an emergency crash landing into the Hudson River.

Nearby rescue ferries and other emergency personnel responded almost immediately, assisting passengers coming from inside the plane as well as those who were standing on the wing of the aircraft. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg reported during a press conference shortly after the crash that, according to the pilot and rescue personnel, they had walked the plane forward and backwards to ensure that no one was left on board.CNN.com: Airplane in Hudson River... (January 15, 2009)

A Fox News affiliate reported on January 19, 2009 that two of the survivors of Flight 1549, Rob and Jeff Kolodjay, were being charged a cancellation fee for not using the return portion of their ticket. The Kolodjays, who were booked on U.S. Airways Flight 1549 after their flight on Spirit Airlines was canceled, never made it to their destination of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to use the return tickets. Though a Spirit representative initially insisted that the two men pay the $90 cancellation fee, Spirit spokesperson Misty Pinson later released this statement, "Spirit Airlines has given the Kolodjay family a full refund and have issued credits to their credit cards. They will not be charged anything by Spirit Airlines. We applaud everyone involved in bringing these passengers to safety wish the family the best."Fox 61: Spirit Airlines Decides Not To Collect... (January 19, 2009)