
On September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked by four terrorists, 46 minutes into its journey. The flight, which was scheduled to fly from Newark, New Jersey to San Francisco, California, was instead diverted towards Washington, D.C. The terrorists' intended target was likely the United States Capitol Building, but due to the heroic actions of the passengers and crew, Flight 93 crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, about 80 miles from Pittsburgh.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Date | September 11, 2001 |
Departure Airport | Newark International Airport, New Jersey |
Destination Airport | San Francisco, California |
Aircraft Type | Boeing 757-222 |
Number of Hijackers | 4 |
Target | United States Capitol Building, Washington, D.C. |
Crash Site | Empty field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania |
What You'll Learn
- Flight 93 was a United Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey to San Francisco, California
- The flight was hijacked by four terrorists, who were likely targeting the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C
- The plane crashed in an empty field in Pennsylvania, about 20 minutes flying time from Washington, D.C
- The hijackers on Flight 93 were part of a coordinated attack on America, along with three other hijacked flights
- Passengers and crew of Flight 93 showed courage and defiance, charging the cockpit and foiling the hijackers' plan
Flight 93 was a United Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey to San Francisco, California
Flight 93 was a United Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco, California. The flight was scheduled to depart at 8:00 a.m. on September 11, 2001, but due to heavy airport congestion, it remained delayed on the ground until 8:42 a.m. It was a non-stop flight with 33 passengers and seven crew members on board.
The aircraft was a Boeing 757-222 with a capacity of 182 passengers. Just 46 minutes into the flight, at around 9:28 a.m., four hijackers took control of the plane. The hijackers were extremists, and one of them, Ziad Jarrah, was a trained pilot. He dialled in the navigational code for Reagan National Airport, turning the plane back towards Washington, D.C.
The intended target of Flight 93 is believed to have been the United States Capitol Building or the White House, where legislators were in session. However, the passengers and crew of Flight 93 showed courage and defiance by charging the cockpit, causing the hijackers to crash the plane in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, about 20 minutes' flying time from Washington, D.C.
The heroic actions of those on board saved countless lives and prevented the destruction of symbolic targets in Washington, D.C. The National Park Service and partners now work to honour their memory and understand the full legacy of Flight 93 and the events of that fateful day.
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The flight was hijacked by four terrorists, who were likely targeting the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C
On September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked by four terrorists. The flight was scheduled to depart at 8:00 a.m. but was delayed until 8:42 a.m. due to heavy airport congestion. At 9:28 a.m., 46 minutes into the flight, the hijackers stormed the cockpit and turned the plane southeast towards Washington, D.C.
The intended target of Flight 93 has never been definitively confirmed. However, investigators believe that the most likely target was the United States Capitol Building. Before the attacks, Osama bin Laden, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and Mohammed Atef developed a list of potential targets. While Bin Laden wanted to destroy the White House and the Pentagon, Sheikh Mohammed wanted to strike the World Trade Center. The Capitol Building was the only target all three men could agree on.
Additionally, Ziad Jarrah, who has been identified as the pilot of Flight 93, dialed in the frequency for the navigational aid at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. The plane was only 20 minutes away from reaching D.C. when passengers revolted against the hijackers, causing them to crash the plane.
The hijackers' decision to wait 46 minutes before launching their assault meant that the hostages quickly learned about the suicide attacks on the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia. This knowledge led the passengers and crew of Flight 93 to fight back, preventing the plane from reaching its intended target.
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The plane crashed in an empty field in Pennsylvania, about 20 minutes flying time from Washington, D.C
On September 11, 2001, four planes were hijacked in a coordinated terrorist attack on the United States. Two of the planes crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, and another crashed into the Pentagon. The fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, was also destined for Washington, D.C., but crashed in an empty field in Pennsylvania, about 20 minutes flying time from the capital.
Flight 93 was a Boeing 757-222, scheduled to fly non-stop from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco, California. The flight was delayed by more than 25 minutes due to heavy morning traffic. At 9:28 a.m., about 46 minutes into the flight, four hijackers took control of the plane, turning it southeast towards Washington, D.C.
The hijackers on Flight 93 were terrorists on a suicide mission. They targeted domestic flights that typically had few passengers so they would face less resistance. They also chose aircraft that they had been trained to pilot and that were full of fuel to cause maximum destruction.
However, the passengers and crew of Flight 93 showed unity, courage, and defiance in the face of adversity. They quickly realized that their plane was part of a larger attack on America and made a collective decision to fight back. They developed a plan and put it into action in just over 30 minutes. At 9:55 a.m., one of the hijackers, Ziad Jarrah, a trained pilot, reset the plane's autopilot to head back east towards Washington. But the heroic revolt by the passengers and crew meant that the plane crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The plane crashed at 10:03 a.m., ploughing into the empty field at a speed of 563 miles per hour. The 5,500 gallons of jet fuel on board exploded, creating a ball of fire that rose higher than the trees. Forty people were killed in the crash, and their actions saved countless lives and prevented further destruction and devastation on a day that had already seen so many tragedies.
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The hijackers on Flight 93 were part of a coordinated attack on America, along with three other hijacked flights
On the morning of September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked by four al-Qaeda terrorists as part of the September 11 attacks. The flight was scheduled to depart from Newark International Airport in New Jersey to San Francisco International Airport in California. It was the fourth and final passenger jet to be commandeered by terrorists that day.
The terrorists on Flight 93 overtook the cockpit after 46 minutes of routine flight across Pennsylvania, turning the plane southeast towards Washington, D.C. The passengers and crew were forced to the back of the plane and told to remain quiet. However, using airphones, they learned about the other hijacked planes and realised that Flight 93 was part of a larger attack on America. This knowledge led to a collective decision to fight back. In just over 30 minutes, the passengers and crew of Flight 93 developed a plan to charge the cockpit and retake control of the aircraft.
The terrorists piloting the aircraft attempted to stop the uprising by pitching the plane up and down and rolling it from side to side. Despite this, the passengers and crew of Flight 93 successfully disrupted the terrorists' mission, forcing them to crash the plane in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Although the plane crashed, the quick and determined actions of the passengers and crew prevented the terrorists from reaching their intended target, saving countless lives.
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Passengers and crew of Flight 93 showed courage and defiance, charging the cockpit and foiling the hijackers' plan
On the morning of September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked by four al-Qaeda terrorists. The flight, which was scheduled to fly from Newark International Airport in New Jersey to San Francisco International Airport in California, was carrying 37 passengers, including the four terrorists, and seven crew members.
At around 9:28 a.m., after 46 minutes of routine flight across Pennsylvania, the terrorists overtook the cockpit and turned the plane southeast towards Washington, D.C. The passengers and crew were forced to the back of the plane and told to remain quiet. However, using airphones, they began making calls to report the hijacking and soon learned about the other hijacked planes, realizing that Flight 93 was part of a larger attack on America.
In response, the passengers and crew of Flight 93 made a collective decision to fight back. In just over 30 minutes, they developed a plan and put it into action. They showed unity, courage, and defiance in the face of adversity. One passenger, Todd Beamer, made a call to a GTE phone operator, Lisa Jefferson, and told her that he and a few passengers were planning to "jump" the hijacker with the bomb. Beamer's final words to Jefferson, "Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll," became a national catchphrase.
The cockpit voice recorder captured the sounds of the struggle: shouts, screams, calls to action, and breaking glassware. To stop the uprising, the terrorist piloting the aircraft began to roll it and pitch the nose up and down. Despite this, the passengers and crew of Flight 93 continued to fight, ultimately forcing the terrorists to crash the plane in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, preventing them from reaching their intended target.
The actions of the passengers and crew of Flight 93 were courageous and selfless, and they are remembered as heroes who sacrificed their lives to save others. Their story is one of courage, unity, and defiance in the face of extreme adversity.
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Frequently asked questions
Flight 93 departed from Newark International Airport in New Jersey.
Flight 93 was a non-stop flight headed to San Francisco, California.
Flight 93 crashed in an empty field in Pennsylvania, about 80 miles from Pittsburgh.