In summarizing the movie, Warner Bros.’s website said: “Even as Sully was being heralded by the public and the media for his unprecedented feat of aviation skill, an investigation was unfolding that threatened to destroy his reputation and his career.”
NTSB Statement
The NTSB said in a statement that the drama of Flight 1549 “is a movie-worthy moment in aviation history.”
“The NTSB was not asked to contribute to or participate in the production of ‘Sully’ and as such we were not afforded an opportunity to ensure our actions and words were portrayed with accurate context or reflected our perspective,” the board said.
The board’s mandate requires it to examine all aspects of an accident, including how pilots performed, it said.
“There was no effort to crucify him or embarrass him,” said Malcolm Brenner, a retired NTSB specialist in human behavior who was part of the team that first interviewed Sullenberger in the days after the accident. “If there were questions, it was to learn things.”
Warner Bros.
Brenner, whose job was normally to deconstruct the “disturbing performance” of flight crews who had caused a crash, recalled that he was pleased to have participated in a case in which the two pilots worked well together and made good decisions.
“I personally was very impressed,” he said.
Jack Horner, a Warner Bros. spokesman, didn’t respond to questions about the accuracy of the movie’s portrayal of investigators.