Is Sully based on a true story? Clara Gaspar May 3 2021, 11:12 ET CLINT Eastwood's movie Sully captured the imagination of viewers with its poignant retelling of a national 'miracle'. But what actually happened on January 15, 2009, and who is the real protagonist at the heart of the story? Here's everything you need to know... 5 Is Sully based on a true story? Yes, Sully is based on a miraculous real-life event that has come to be known as the The Miracle on the Hudson. US Pilot Chesley Sullenberger was commanding US Airways Flight 1549 on January 15, 2009, when both engines of the plane were struck by birds.