Katie Couric's Notebook: Heroes On The Hudson

Captain Chesley Sullenberger says he doesn't feel comfortable embracing the word hero.

Sully, as the world knows him, stood with me on the tarmac of the Douglas Airport in Charlotte, where Flight 1549 was supposed to land safely.

Instead, the flight filled with 150 passenger and a crew of 5 splashed down in the Hudson River. Bird strike, double engine failure, and three and half minutes where so many lives hung in the balance.

It's been called the "Miracle on the Hudson," and few articles about Sully begin with words other than "hero pilot."

But Sully says he was just doing his job. "I've been making small, regular deposits in this bank of experience, education and training," he told me. "On January 15, the balance was sufficient so that I could make a sudden, large withdrawal."

Heroes are born when ordinary people do extraordinary things.

This Sunday on 60 Minutes, I am honored to bring you the story of Sully and his crew. They may not want to be called heroes, but they all deserve our respect, admiration and gratitude.