Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger III (born January 23, 1951) is an American airline transport pilot (ATP), safety expert, and accident investigator from Danville, California.  Sullenberger rose to fame when he successfully ditched US Airways Flight 1549  in the Hudson River off Manhattan, New York City, on January 15, 2009, saving the lives of all 155 people on the aircraft.