Tom Hanks returns to silver screen this fall as Captain Chesler Sullenberger in Clint Eastwood’s biographical drama “Sully.” (AP Photo)
Tom Hanks stars as Captain Chesler Sullenberger in Clint Eastwood’s biographical drama “Sully” in theaters this fall.
The drama retells the story of the pilot who landed a plane in the Hudson River to save the lives of all 155 passengers aboard.
The trailer of the film was just released and the movie is sure to provide plenty of high flying thrills and dramatic moments.
But if you want some aviation drama, nothing compares to the thrills of real life-- especially when it comes to aviation.
Over the years, there have been plenty of shocking landings that left us wondering how the pilots-- and crew and passengers aboard-- managed to survive.
1. A near miss in Munich.
In 2008, a Lufthansa plane was traveling from Munich to Hamburg, Germany. Carrying 132 passenger and five crew members, the plane was facing strong, gushing winds following storm “Emma,” which had already hit several coastal cities across Europe. While the plane was landing, it flailed left and right causing the left wing to strike the runaway twice. The pilot was able to successfully land the plane after a full 19 minutes skidding down the runway.
2. Plane grazes Hong Kong tree tops.
In 1988, a JAL 747 was traveling from Hong Kong's Kai Tak airport. Because of the strong winds, the pilot lost control over the plane's direction. While airborne, the plane nearly hit a tall tree but the pilot turned away just in time, avoiding near disaster. The Kai Tak airport closed down in 1998.
3. JetBlue emergency landing ignites sparks.
In Sept. 2009, JetBlue’s Flight 292 was scheduled to fly from Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, Calif. to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. The plane carried 140 passengers and six crew members. After taking off, the pilot realized that the landing gear could not be retracted. The crew realized that the nose gear had rotated 90 degrees to the left. The pilot had to initiate an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport to take advantage of the long and wide runways as his gears malfunctioned. Small sparks began to ignite because the wheels did not straighten out. But, eventually, the plane safely landed with no reported injuries.
4. Emergency street landing.
In 2009, Kyle Davis, a 22-year-old flight instructor, was about two minutes into his 15 minute trip over central Florida. Traveling from Winter Haven to Lakeland, the pilot faced a problem when the engine of his SkyRanger malfunctioned. With two failed restarts and no lake or field landings available, Davis decided to land the plane on Havendale Boulevard-- a regular neighborhood street. While landing, Davis was able to avoid light poles, trees, people, and most importatly cars.
5. Bird strike causes impromptu Boeing 757 landing.
In April 2007, a Thompsonfly Boeing 757 caught fire while trying to land at Lanzarote Airport. The flames were the result of a bird, reportedly a crow, flying right into the engine. The plane landed safely back at the Manchester Airport.