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NEW YORK- What began as lighthearted ribbing in the cockpit of US Airways flight 519 on Monday morning ended with Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger landing his second plane in as many months in the frigid waters of New York’s Hudson River. While Sullenberger’s first crash-landing in the river earlier this year was necessitated by what FAA officials termed a “double bird strike,” investigators speculate yesterday’s incident was the result of a hazardous in-flight double dog dare.

“We had just lifted off the ground when I joked, ‘I bet you couldn't ditch in the Hudson again if you tried,’” said co-pilot Jim Kline. Only seconds later, things began to spiral dangerously out of control.

Air traffic controller, William Evans, was in touch with Sullenberger throughout the ordeal. “We received word of a possible dare during takeoff at approximately 10:14 AM,” stated Evans. “When [Sullenberger] radioed back soon after to inform us the situation had escalated to a double dog dare, our worst fears were realized. The captain had no choice at that point but to risk the lives of all 145 passengers onboard and ditch the dare-impaired Boeing 747 into the Hudson.”

At a press conference held shortly after the accident, Captain Sullenberger described what happened in the tense moments immediately following the impact of the two-dog dare. “We suddenly lost thrust in both engines and began to lose altitude at an alarming rate," stated Sullenberger, who personally cut power to both engines.

Sullenberger then banked the plane sharply to the left and began preparing for an emergency water landing. “In moments like that you tend to second guess your every action,” stated the daring captain. “There was one point when I even contemplated restarting the plane’s fully operational turbine engines and continuing safely on to Denver as scheduled. In the end I decided to go with my gut and slam the 377-ton aircraft into the highly-trafficked river at about 200 mph.”

Many passengers onboard were unaware a problem had occurred until the last minute. “I think we hit some birds or something,” said passenger Julia Hoffman, who misunderstood Captain Sullenberger’s announcement in which he mentioned "not chickening out."

All 145 people onboard survived the water landing and only minor injuries were reported.

Though rare, double dog dares have been the cause of some well known aviation mishaps in the past: the Loop-de-Loop travesty of '92; the ill-fated I-95 South landing of '86; and the Hindenburg disaster of 1937. 

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