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Events of September 11, 2001
With the 10th anniversary of 9/11, we cannot forgot those who perished in the devastating events which transpired on September 11, 2001.
Early the morning on September 11th, 2001, nineteen al Qaeda terrorists boarded and took control of four commercial airliners; American Airlines Flight 11, United Airlines Flight 175, American Airlines Flight 77, and United Airline Flight 93.
American Airlines Flight 11, was scheduled to depart from Boston's Logan International Airport at 7:45 AM with a final destination to Los Angeles, California. After a series of delays, the plane departed after a 14 minute delay at 7:59 AM with five hijackers aboard. These hijackers included Mohamed Atta, Satam al Suqami, Waleed al-Shehri, Abdulaziz al-Omari, and Wail al-Shehri. After departure, at approximately 8:14 AM, the hijackers stormed the cockpit and took control of the airplane. At 8:46 AM, American Airlines Flight 11 was deliberately crash into the north facade of the North Tower (Tower 1) of the World Trade Center. The airplane traveling at an estimated 466 mile per hour and carrying over 10,000 gallons of fuel, crashed between the 93rd and 99th floors of the Tower. All 92 persons, including 11 crew members perished that morning. The aftermath of the crash and subsequent collapse of the North Tower at 10.28 AM claimed approximately another 1400 lives including workers and emergency personnel.
United Airlines Flight 11, was scheduled to depart from Boston's Logan International Airport at 8:00 AM with a final destination to Los Angeles, California. The plane took off from Runway 9 at 8:14 AM with five hijackers aboard. These hijackers included Marwan al-Shehhi, Fayez Banihammad, Hamza al-Ghamdi, Ahmed al-Ghamdi, and Mohand al-Shehri. Approximately thirty minutes into the flight, the hijackers breached the cockpit and overpowered and killed pilot, Victor Saracini, and First Officer, Michael Horrocks. Marwan al-Shehhi then took controls of the airplane. At 9:03 AM, United Airlines Flight 175 was crashed into the south facade of the South Tower (Tower 2) of the World Trade Center. The airplane traveling at an estimated 586 miles per hour and carrying the same amount of jet fuel as American Airlines Flight 11, crashed between the 77th and 85th floor of the Tower. All 56 persons, including 9 crew members perished that morning. The aftermath of the crash and subsequent collapse of the South Tower at 9:59 AM claimed approximately another 900 lives including workers and emergency personnel. The 9/11 Memorial will be dedicated on September 11, 2011 in a special ceremony for victims’ families. At the site of the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center, a memorial has been constructed of a design which calls for a forest of trees with two square pools in the center, where the Twin Towers once stood. The Memorial opens to the public on September 12, 2011. The museum portion of the Memorial will open on September 11, 2012.
American Airlines Flight 77, was scheduled to depart from Washington's Dulles International Airport at 8:10 AM with a final destination to Los Angeles, California. After the 58 passengers boarded the plane through Gate D26, in Midfield Concourse D at Dulles, the airplane pushed away from the gate at 8:09 AM and eventually took off at 8:20 AM. On American Airline Flight 77, there were five hijackers who included Hani Hanjour, Salem al-Hazmi, Khalid al-Mihdhar, Nawaf al-Hazmi and Majed Moqed. As with the other hijacked flights, the takeoff was uneventful until approximately 30 to 34 minutes into the flight, the hijackers stormed the cockpit and took control of the airplane. As American Airlines Flight 77 was 5 miles from the Pentagon, the hijackers made a 330 degree turn with the plane, and started descending through 2200 feet towards the Pentagon and Washington DC. With the plane sailing level with the ground and seconds from the crash, the airplane's wings knocked over light poles and its right engine smashed into a power generator, creating a smoke trail seconds before smashing into the Pentagon. At 9:37 AM, American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the west facade and first floor level of the Pentagon. The airplane traveling at an estimated 530 miles per hour penetrated 310 feet into the outer most rings of the Pentagon. All 59 persons in the airplant, including 6 crew members perished that morning. Another 125 people perished on the ground. In total, 184 persons were tragically killed from the crash of American Airlines Flight 77 into Pentagon. The Pentagon Memorial was established in remembrance of those who day at the Pentagon that day. The memorial opened to the public on September 11, 2008.
United Airlines Flight 93, was scheduled to depart from Newark International Airport in New Jersey at 8:00AM with a final destination to San Francisco, California. The plane disembarked from Gate A17 at 8:01 AM and eventually took off at 8:40 AM after some airport congestion. The airplane took off with 37 passengers including four hijackers. These hijackers included Ziad Jarrah, Ahmed al-Nami, Ahmed al-Haznawi, and Saeed al-Ghamdi. Approximately 46 minutes after takeoff, the hijackers breached the cockpit and seized control of United Airlines Flight 93. Ironically, 29 minutes after the airplane was hijacked, a group of passengers, most of them who used Airphones and cell phones to contact loved ones, decided to revolt and fight the hijackers trying to take back control of the airplane. One of the passengers, Todd Beamer attempted to call his wife at 09:43 AM, but was routed to GTE phone operator Lisa D. Jefferson. Todd Beamer's last words heard by Lisa Jefferson at 9:55 AM were "Are you guys ready? Okay. Let's roll!" After 9/11, that statement became a national catchphrase. At 9:57 AM, the passengers attempted to storm the cockpit to battle the hijackers. Ziad Jarrah, the terrorist who was flying the plane, tried desperately to maneuver the plane to thwart efforts by the passengers. As the airplane descended, the hijackers spoke whether or not to crash the plane. The plane turned hard to the right and rolled on its back and eventually crashed into a field in Stonycreek Township near Shanksville in Somerset County, Pennsylvania at 10:03 AM. The crash happened approximately 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. All 37 persons, including 7 crew members perished that morning. The intended target of Flight 93 has never been decisively confirmed; however, it is thought that possible targets would have been the White House or Capitol Building. There is a temporary Flight 93 Memorial structure started by visitors paying their respects after the crash. On September 11, 2011, The National Park Service is dedicating Phase 1 of the permanent memorial and commemorating the 10th Anniversary of September 11.
Although there have never been any official release of the AAR (Aircraft Accident Reports) involving these flights, most of the information surrounding September 11, 2001, can be found in the The 9/11 Commission Report.
Download the 9/11 Commission Report
Download the 9/11 Commission Report Note