Miracle On The Hudson With Dave Sanderson – The Last Passenger To Depart Doomed Flight 1549

Darren: On this week’s episode of The Engaging Marketeer, I am interviewing Dave Sanderson, who was a passenger on Flight 1549.

You may know it as the plane that went down in the Hudson in New York and was the subject of the film Sully, starring Tom Hanks. Dave was one of the passengers who helped others escape from the plane out onto the wing, and he was the last passenger off the plane, followed only by the captain, obviously Sully, Tom Hanks in the movie. I’ll be talking to Dave about that experience: what it was like, what he felt when he heard the first “boom” and saw that the engine went out, and how it’s transformed his life from then to now. I think there’s really only one place we can start, isn’t there?

Dave, you’ve been involved in one of the most shocking and talked-about incidents that’s happened in probably the last 100 years in America. Can you tell me what that day started like?

Dave: Most definitely. Thank you very much for the question. I was very honored to be a part of something like this. Yeah, it was a normal business day. We were working in a distribution center in New York City, primarily Brooklyn. Distribution centers, if you haven’t worked in one, open up early because they’re usually either 18- or 24-hour operations, because they’re always distributing. So, we went in at five o’clock that morning after being two days on the road in Sarasota, Florida, and Petersburg, Virginia. We wanted to get going with all the trucks and distribution activities so we could optimize their systems. We got done about 10 because, at 10, all the trucks are out, so we’re done. I thought, “Great, I get to go home early today!”

When you’re on the road, you can’t wait to get home. I had a five o’clock flight scheduled because you never know how the day is going to play out on business. I always plan for the last flight out just in case something goes crazy during the day. I called the travel agent I worked with, and she put me on US Airways Flight 1549. I was not supposed to be on that flight.

Darren: Wow.

Dave: Yeah.

Darren: So, it’s kind of luck and chance and happenstance that you ended up on that flight in the first place?

Dave: It all came together in a way that I think I was supposed to be on that plane. From my perspective, I was supposed to be on that plane.

Darren: So, you feel like it was a calling, that you were meant to be there?

Dave: I do. Personally, I do. After looking back and processing this over the last number of years, I think pretty much everybody, including the captain and the first officer, was the right crew in place. It’s very rare that someone could pull off what the captain did to get it down. Not many captains could do that. You saw the movie Sully. That was accurate. Not too many other captains or first officers could have done it. So, I think he was on that plane for a reason, and likewise, I think people were stationed on the plane for a reason. The way they were stationed… It’s like they talk about in business, having the right people in the right seats on the bus. I think that’s what happened on that plane. I think the right people were in the right place to make sure that once he got it down – which he gets all the credit for – then it became a whole team effort at that point in time.

Darren: Speaking of being stationed, where were you sat on the plane?

Dave: I was in seat 15A, four rows behind the left wing.

Darren: So, you had a good view of what happened then?

Dave: I saw everything on the left side of the plane. I was witnessing the strike, the fire, the whole thing from my perspective. Because I was four rows back, I could see perfectly out the window.

Darren: And what was your first thought when that happened?

Dave: No big deal. Seriously. I fly over 100 times a year, and I know planes. Especially international planes usually have three engines. Domestic planes in the United States have two engines if they carry so many passengers; that’s what I learned. So, I knew we had another engine, and we’d just go back to the airport. I’m not going to get home early, but that’s fine.

No one knew at that point. That’s where I tell people God’s grace started on this plane because no one knew what had happened. Where we were on the left side, I’ll show up on the right side of the plane simultaneously at the same time. We only heard one explosion on the plane – boom. We didn’t hear boom-boom. I think if we had heard a boom-boom, people would have panicked. You’re in New York City on a plane… I think there’s a whole different reaction going on.

Darren: So, presumably, there were people on the right side of the plane who saw something happen there and thought, “That’s okay, there’s an engine on the left side.”

Dave: Exactly. When I talk to my business organizations and break this down, I think this is a great business case for mindset and execution. One of the things I learned from a captain – I was in Orlando and had the opportunity to speak with captains – is they told me something very unique. He said, “Look around. In Orlando, most of the people flying in aren’t business people like me. Most are there for enjoyment purposes.” On my plane, 80-90% minimum were business people. These are people who make decisions about their businesses. So, when something like this happens, they go into business mode. They think, “What’s my game plan? How am I going to execute?”

Darren: That’s fascinating. And I’m assuming, as you mentioned, that mindset played a critical role throughout the incident? What was your next step once you realized both engines were out?

Dave: At that point, I still thought we were going back to LaGuardia. You don’t know everything upfront. You’re processing. It wasn’t until the captain said, “Brace for impact,” that I realized we weren’t making it back. That was the defining moment.

Darren: What goes through your mind when you hear “Brace for impact”? That’s not something most people ever hear in their lives.

Dave: For me, it was like, “This is serious.” That’s when my mindset shifted from, “No big deal,” to “Okay, now this is a crisis.” I tightened my seatbelt and started thinking about what I needed to do next. In my mind, I thought, “If we’re going down, I need to figure out how to get out safely.” It became about survival at that point.

Darren: And what happened when the plane hit the water?

Dave: It was a hard hit. It was like a jolt. The back of the plane hit first, and then we leveled out. Water started rushing in almost immediately. I looked out the window and saw the wing. People were already moving toward the exits. It was very controlled chaos, as I mentioned earlier. People were helping each other. There wasn’t a lot of screaming or panic. Everyone just knew we had to get out.

Darren: You were one of the last people off the plane. What made you stay behind?

Dave: I felt a sense of responsibility. I’ve always believed in helping others, and in that moment, I couldn’t just think about myself. I helped people onto the wing and into the lifeboats. I stayed inside the plane to make sure everyone got out. I was holding onto the lifeboat to keep it from floating away. When I finally got out, I realized I was the last passenger off the plane, followed only by the captain.

Darren: That’s incredible. What happened after you were rescued?

Dave: I was taken to the hospital for hypothermia. It took about five hours for my body temperature to get back to normal. I spent the night in the hospital, being interviewed by authorities and the media. The next day, I was on a flight home, trying to process everything that had happened.

Darren: How has that experience changed your life?

Dave: It’s given me a new perspective. I’ve become a speaker and author, sharing my story to help others. I talk about leadership, decision-making, and resilience. It’s also made me more grateful for life and the people around me. Every day is a gift, and I try to live with that mindset.

Darren: Dave, your story is truly inspiring. Thank you for sharing it with us today. For anyone who wants to learn more about you or connect, where can they find you?

Dave: Thank you, Darren. People can find me on LinkedIn under Dave Sanderson, or visit my website, DaveSandersonSpeaks.com. I also have a book and a magazine called Moments Matter, where I highlight stories of resilience and leadership. Thank you for having me.

Darren: Thank you, Dave. It’s been an absolute pleasure.