24 Years Later: A Timeline of the 9/11 Attacks

New York (WNN) - On September 11, 2001, the United States faced one of the most devastating terrorist attacks ever. Nineteen hijackers from al-Qaeda took control of four planes and used them as deadly weapons.

Almost 3,000 lives were tragically lost in this coordinated attack that hit the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon close to Washington, D.C., and a field in Pennsylvania. Below is a timeline of the events leading to the tragedy.

The Hijackers' Early Moves and the First Flights

The day started with what seemed like a typical morning for travelers. At 5:45 a.m. EDT, two of the hijackers, Mohamed Atta and Abdul Aziz al-Omari, passed through security at Portland, Maine, before catching a small flight to Boston, where they'd connect to their main flight. The hijackers had carefully planned every step, choosing four flights across the country that would be topped off with fuel for long distances—turning them essentially into flying bombs.

Mohamed Atta and Abdul Aziz al-Omari entering the airport at 5:45 am

FBI

All four hijacked flights took off within a 45-minute window, coming from three different East Coast airports. This timing was not an accident; it was meant to catch the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) completely off guard, leaving them unprepared for what was about to happen.

A Brief Rundown of the Four Flights

7:59 a.m. EDT: American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767 with 76 passengers, 11 crew members, and five hijackers on board, left Boston headed for Los Angeles.

8:15 a.m. EDT: United Airlines Flight 175, another Boeing 767 with 51 passengers, nine crew members, and five hijackers on board, also took off from Boston, headed for Los Angeles.

8:20 a.m. EDT: American Airlines Flight 77, a Boeing 757 with 53 passengers, six crew members, and five hijackers on board, departed from Washington Dulles International Airport, en route to Los Angeles.

8:42 a.m. EDT: United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757 with 33 passengers, seven crew members, and four hijackers on board, took off from Newark International Airport. It was headed for San Francisco. This flight was delayed by over 25 minutes, a detail that would be very important.

Hijackings and Initial Attacks

At 8:14 a.m. EDT, Flight 11 was taken over by hijackers as it flew over central Massachusetts. They quickly gained control of the cockpit and redirected the plane towards New York City.

At 8:46 a.m., Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, hitting between floors 93 and 99. This killed everyone on board the flight and trapped hundreds more on the upper floors, who were unable to escape. The plane entered the tower on impact.

Just a few minutes later, at 9:03 a.m., Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower, striking between floors 77 and 85. This impact resulted in the deaths of everyone on the flight, along with the many inside the building. The horrifying scenes were broadcast live, leaving viewers across the nation shocked.

Additionally, at 9:37 a.m., Flight 77 crashed into the western side of the Pentagon, killing all 58 people on board and 125 people (which included emergency workers) who were inside the building. The crash caused a massive fire.

The Pentagon in Washington, DC, moments after being struck by Flight 77.

LOC/Prints and Photos Division

Government Response and Airspace Shutdown

At 9:05 a.m., President W. Bush was informed about the hit on the second tower. He was in an elementary school classroom in Florida. His chief of staff, Andrew Card, whispered the news in his ear.

President Bush participating in a reading demonstration on the morning of September 11 at Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida

George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum

Later, he wrote about his response: "I made the decision not to jump up immediately and leave the classroom. I didn't want to rattle the kids. I wanted to project a sense of calm. I had been in enough crises to know that the first thing the leader has to do is project calm."

By 9:45 a.m., US airspace was shut down under Operation Yellow Ribbon. This operation was a Canadian government operation to reroute hundreds of international civilian flights to Canadian airports to prevent further attacks.

An Act of Bravery

The passengers and crew on Flight 93 were ordered to the back of the plane, where they had to sit quietly. They started calling loved ones and authorities from the Airfones in the back of their seats to share what was happening. That’s when they found out that other hijacked planes had hit the World Trade Center. They then realized that their plane was part of a much bigger attack on the country. They quickly voted and decided to stand up and fight back.

At 9:57 a.m., the passengers on board began to fight back against the hijackers.  At least two passengers and a crew member hung up their phones to join the uprising. This all happened while the plane flew over Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The hijackers started rolling the plane from side to side, trying to throw the passengers off balance. Other planes in the sky and people on the ground witnessed the chaotic flying.

Flight 93's crash site in Shanksville, Pennsylvania

LOC/Prints and Photos Division

According to the 9/11 Commission, the terrorists remained in control of the plane. They chose to crash it in an empty field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, rather than risk the passengers and crew regaining control of the plane. The crash prevented the plane from reaching what many believed was its intended target, either the White House or the US Capitol.

Building Collapses and Aftermath

The South Tower collapsed first, at 9:59 a.m., just 56 minutes after it was struck. The North Tower followed, collapsing at 10:28 a.m., standing for an hour and 42 minutes after the impact.

At 5:30 p.m., World Trade Center Building 7 also collapsed due to fires caused by debris from the earlier collapses. President Bush quickly notified the military and took steps to secure various locations throughout the day.

These attacks led to new national security rules, started the War on Terror, and created the Department of Homeland Security.