Plane crashed into the Hudson River

[Luke]

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A US Airways plane with more than 150 people aboard was down in the Hudson River on Thursday after taking off from LaGuardia Airport, and everyone aboard is off the plane and alive, officials said.

Flight 1549, headed to Charlotte, North Carolina, may have experienced a bird strike -- when a bird or flock of birds is sucked into the jet -- according to FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown.

Passenger Alberto Pinero said that within a couple minutes after takeoff, "you just heard a loud bang and the plane shook a bit."

Passengers could smell smoke, and "the plane just started turning. ... We knew something was going on, 'cause look, we were turning back," he said. Everyone on board exited the Airbus A320, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

"Somehow, the plane stayed afloat and we were all able to get on a raft," Pinero said. "It's just incredible now that everyone's still alive."The pilot radioed to air traffic controllers that he had experienced a bird strike and declared an emergency, a New Jersey State Police source told

Pinero said rescue boats arrived immediately. Live video showed the plane bobbing in the water and moving with the current. City fire and police, plus U.S. Coast Guard units, were responding, and a ferry was dropping life jackets into the water.
The pilot tried to return to the airport when the plane fell into the Hudson, The New York Times reported. The Times said it was below 20 degrees in New York at the time the plane went down.

The plane approached the water at a gradual angle and made a big splash, according to a witness watching from an office building.

"It wasn't going particularly fast. It was a slow contact with the water that it made," said the witness, Ben Vonklemperer.

"It appeared not to have landing gear engaged. This was bigger than a puddle-jumper or sea plane. It was a silver aircraft and it basically just hit the water," Vonklemperer added.

An Airbus A320 has 150 seats -- 12 in first class and 138 in economy, according to the Airbus Web site.

People who believe they may have had relatives on the flight may call US Airways at 1-800-679-8215 within the United States, the airline said.

[Luke]

Just happened about an hour and half ago.Coverage is on CNBC right now

[Luke]

yikes

[Luke]

[Mr. IWS]

Fucking crazy man. At least nobody got killed. I will never get on a plane.

[Luke]

Fucking crazy man. At least nobody got killed. I will never get on a plane.

You never have been on a plane or never will get on one again?

[Mr. IWS]

Never been on one, and never will

[Luke]

Never been on one, and never will

I don't blame you one bit.

I've been on plane twice to Cancun ,twice to Vegas,and once to San Diego and it still scares the fuck out of me every time I go . I hate flying . From the time the plane leaves the ground until it reaches the ground again my hands and feet and pits sweat to death .I swear every time I fly its the last and some how the lady convinces me to do it again.I think I forget how bad it is because its usually a year in between flights. I would much prefer to drive to Vegas and take the extra 6 days round trip than fly.You're not alone Zak

[Mr. IWS]

My brother was the same way, but he got hooked up with some chick in Pittsburgh like 6 months ago, and now he flys out there all the time. Must be some real good pussy.

I fly alot for work and for vacations, I flew just under 45,000 miles in 2008. I have had some crazy stuff happen in my travels; a no landing gear belly landing (they sprayed the runway with this foam stuff, almost like suds), lost an engine at 25,000 feet, had a flight drop 10,000 feet from turbulence.

I pretty much have the thought that I can get killed any day of my life whether walking across a street and getting hit by a bus, driving and hit by a drunk or even heart failure. When your number is up, there is nothing I can do to prevent it from happening. I can appreciate what you guys are saying, I have been flying since I was 5yrs old so it doesn't really phase me much at all.