American Airlines Flight 11

American Airlines Flight 11

American Airlines Flight 11 was a passenger flight that was taken over by five terrorists on the morning of September 11, 2001, as part of the September 11 attacks. The hijacked plane was deliberately crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The crash killed everyone aboard the flight and many people inside the building.

The aircraft involved was a Boeing 767-200ER with 92 passengers and crew. It was flying American Airlines' daily morning transcontinental service from Boston Logan International Airport in Massachusetts to Los Angeles International Airport in California.

The hijackers took control of the plane shortly after takeoff. They took over the cockpit, allowing lead hijacker Mohamed Atta to fly the plane. Atta flew the plane into the North Tower at 8:46 local time. The impact caused massive damage and fires, which later led to the collapse of the tower. This event was part of a series of attacks that day.

Flight

The plane involved was a Boeing 767. On September 11, it had 81 passengers and 11 crew members.

All 92 people on board sadly died. Some were well-known, like television producer David Angell and actress Berry Berenson.

Hijacking

The 9/11 Commission reported that the hijacking of American Airlines Flight 11 began around 8:14 AM. At that time, the pilots stopped answering calls from the Boston Air Route Traffic Control Center. Soon after, the hijackers took control of the plane. By 8:20 AM, the hijackers were fully in charge, and they turned off the plane's transponder signal.

Flight attendants called American Airlines and said the hijackers had attacked crew members. The hijackers then locked themselves in the cockpit. During this time, a hijacker named Mohamed Atta talked to air traffic controllers, pretending the plane was going back to the airport. Air traffic controllers tried to reach the plane but got no answer. Fighter jets were sent to stop the plane, but they took off after Flight 11 had already crashed.

Crash

At 8:37 a.m., Flight 11 began to go down fast toward New York City. Three minutes before it hit the ground, the plane turned toward Manhattan and flew to the World Trade Center. At 08:46, the plane crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

The airplane hit the north side of the tower between the 93rd and 99th floors. The crash killed everyone on the plane and many people inside the building. It also started fires in the tower. The crash hurt the stairwells, making it very hard for people above to escape. Many people in the city saw what happened and some recorded it. News stations quickly reported the crash.

Aftermath

Main article: Aftermath of the September 11 attacks

After the crash, the North Tower burned before it fell down. The fire from the plane fuel made the building unable to stay standing. Many rescue workers died when the tower fell.

Rescue workers found remains of Flight 11 victims not long after the attack. Over time, medical examiners identified many of these remains. Investigators also found important items that helped them learn about the attack. The flight number for the same route now uses a different airplane, and an American flag is shown at the departure gate to remember those lost. The names of the victims of Flight 11 are inscribed at the National September 11 Memorial.