US Airways Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger III will appear in his first interview since successfully ditching a commercial jetliner on New York's Hudson River Monday on TODAY, NBC News announced.
Sullenberger, who is being hailed as a hero for bringing the plane and its 155 passengers and crew down safely on Jan. 15, will be interviewed live by TODAY co-anchor Matt Lauer. The interview will be conducted in Washington D.C., the site of president elect Barack Obama's inauguration on Tuesday.
According to passengers, Sullenberger sounded calm and in control as he steered the engine-disabled Airbus toward the Hudson shortly after Flight 1549 took off from New York's LaGuardia Airport en route to Charlotte, North Carolina.
As some passengers prayed, Sullenberger annnounced "Brace for impact" over the plane's public address system.
Sullenberger, a former fighter pilot, was the last off the plane, which became submerged as it floated past midtown Manhattan. Passengers said the captain matter-of-factly replied "You're welcome" to grateful passengers who thanked him for bringing the plane down safely. Only minor injuries were reported after the crash, which investigators believe was caused when a flock of geese collided with both engines, disabling them.
Jim Bell is the executive producer of TODAY, which is broadcast live weekdays from 7 a.m.-11 a.m. ET.