What Happened
On the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001 , nineteen terrorists affiliated with the Islamist extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners. The coordinated suicide attacks targeted symbols of American economic and military power.
Two planes were deliberately crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. A third struck the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew fought back against the hijackers.
The deadliest terrorist attack in U.S. history. Nearly 3,000 innocent people from more than 90 countries lost their lives that day. The attacks led to major changes in American foreign policy, national security, aviation, and daily life, and sparked the global War on Terror.
(excluding hijackers)
Timeline of Events (Eastern Time)
All times are approximate based on official records from the 9/11 Commission Report, National September 11 Memorial & Museum, and other authoritative sources.
Hijackers Mohamed Atta and Abdulaziz al-Omari pass through security in Portland, Maine, and board a connecting flight to Boston.
American Airlines Flight 11 (Boston → Los Angeles) takes off from Logan International Airport with 5 hijackers aboard.
United Airlines Flight 175 (Boston → Los Angeles) takes off. Around the same time, Flight 11 is hijacked.
American Airlines Flight 77 (Washington Dulles → Los Angeles) takes off.
United Airlines Flight 93 (Newark → San Francisco) takes off after a delay. Four hijackers are aboard.
Flight 11 strikes the North Tower of the World Trade Center between floors 93 and 99.
Flight 175 strikes the South Tower between floors 77 and 85. The world realizes America is under attack.
President George W. Bush, visiting an elementary school in Florida, is informed that a second plane has hit the World Trade Center.
Flight 77 strikes the Pentagon , killing all 64 people on board and 125 people inside the building.
The South Tower collapses 56 minutes after being struck.
Flight 93 crashes in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew attempt to regain control.
The North Tower collapses 102 minutes after impact.
7 World Trade Center collapses due to fires. No additional deaths are reported from this collapse.
President Bush addresses the nation from the White House.
The Four Flights
| Flight | Route | Aircraft | Impact / Outcome | People on Board* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AA 11 | Boston → Los Angeles | Boeing 767 | North Tower, 8:46 a.m. | 92 (incl. 5 hijackers) |
| UA 175 | Boston → Los Angeles | Boeing 767 | South Tower, 9:03 a.m. | 65 (incl. 5 hijackers) |
| AA 77 | Dulles → Los Angeles | Boeing 757 | Pentagon, 9:37 a.m. | 64 (incl. 5 hijackers) |
| UA 93 | Newark → San Francisco | Boeing 757 | Shanksville, PA, ~10:03 a.m. | 44 (incl. 4 hijackers) |
*Figures include passengers, crew, and hijackers. Victim totals exclude the 19 hijackers.
Flight 93 — “Let's Roll”
Passengers and crew on United Flight 93 learned of the other attacks through phone calls. They voted to fight back. Their revolt forced the hijackers to crash the plane short of its target.
Casualties & First Responders
The official death toll is 2,977 innocent victims (not including the 19 hijackers). People from more than 90 countries were among the dead.
- World Trade Center site (New York): 2,753 people
- Pentagon (Arlington, Virginia): 184 people
- Near Shanksville, Pennsylvania: 40 people
First Responders Who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice
- 343 members of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY)
- 37 Port Authority Police Department officers
- 23 New York City Police Department officers
- Additional EMS workers, federal agents, and others
Thousands of firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical personnel ran toward the danger while others fled. Their bravery remains one of the defining stories of that day.
Immediate Aftermath & Lasting Impact
- U.S. airspace was completely shut down and civilian flights were grounded.
- The attacks prompted the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
- The U.S. launched military operations in Afghanistan in October 2001.
- The U.S. later invaded Iraq in 2003.
- Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. forces in Pakistan on May 2, 2011.
- The World Trade Center site became known as Ground Zero.
- The attacks profoundly affected American culture, security policy, aviation, architecture, and the collective national psyche.
National Memorials
The National September 11 Memorial stands on the exact footprints of the original Twin Towers at the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan.
Location of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum — the Twin Towers once stood where the two reflecting pools are today.
National September 11 Memorial & Museum — New York City
Located at the World Trade Center site. Twin reflecting pools mark the footprints of the Twin Towers. The names of every victim are inscribed around the pools.
Flight 93 National Memorial — Shanksville, Pennsylvania
Honors the 40 passengers and crew who fought back. Features the Wall of Names, Tower of Voices, and crash site field.
National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial — Arlington, Virginia
184 cantilevered benches, one for each victim, arranged by age along the flight path.
Videos & Documentaries
Tip: I Have Added Video's Filmed on that Sad Day of 9/11 2001.