This timeline details the events of September 11th 2001 (9/11) which saw four planes hijacked by members of the terrorist Al-Quaeda group. Three were deliberately crashed into the World Trade Center buildings and the Pentagon, while the fourth crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. Around 3,000 people lost their lives in the attacks.
Please note: All times given are local.
7:59 a.m.
American Airlines Flight 11 took off from Logan International Airport, Boston bound for Los Angeles. On board were five terrorists as well as 76 other passengers and 11 crew members.
8:14 a.m.
United Airlines Flight 175 took off from Logan International Airport, Boston bound for Los Angeles with 56 passengers and 9 crew members on board.
8:14 a.m.
American Airlines Flight 11 was hijacked. Two flight attendants were stabbed as they tried to prevent the hijackers reaching the cockpit.
8:19 a.m.
Betty Ong a flight attendant on American Airlines Flight 11 alerted ground control that the plane had been hijacked.
8:20 a.m.
American Airlines Flight 77 took off from Washington Dulles International Airport bound for Los Angeles. On board were 5 Al-Quaeda hijackers, 53 passengers and 6 crew members.
8:40 a.m.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered the military to scramble jets and seek and tail American Airlines Flight 11.
8:42 a.m.
United Airlines Flight 93 took off from Newark International Airport bound for San Francisco with 4 Al-Quaeda hijackers, 33 passengers and 7 crew members on board.
8:42 – 8:46 a.m.
United Airlines Flight 175 was hijacked.
8:44 a.m.
Madeline Amy Sweeney, Flight Attendant on American Airlines Flight 11, told the American Airlines Flight Service Office by telephone that the plane was flying too low.
8:46 a.m.
American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
8:47 a.m.
The New York Police Department and Fire Service immediately rushed to the scene and began evacuating the North Tower.
8:50 a.m.
United States President George Bush was informed that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center.
8:51 – 8:54 a.m.
American Airlines Flight 77 was hijacked.
9:02 a.m.
Officials decide to evacuate the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
9:03 a.m.
United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
9:05 a.m.
President George Bush, who was visiting an elementary school, was informed of the second crash.
9:08 a.m.
The Federal Aviation Administration grounded all flights bound for New York and also ordered that New York airspace be cleared.
9:24 a.m.
The Federal Aviation Administration alerted the Northeast Air Defense Sector (NEADS) of the suspected hijacking of American Airlines Flight 77, having been alerted by members of the public who had received messages from passengers.
9:28 a.m.
United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked.
9:30 – 9:53 a.m.
Passengers aboard Flight 93 made phone calls to relatives stating that the plane had been hijacked and that they had been moved to the back of the plane.
9:31 a.m.
The President addressed the nation from Emma Booker Elementary School declaring that America was under attack from terrorists.
9:37 a.m.
American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon.
9:42 a.m.
The Federal Aviation Authority cleared all American airspace grounding around 3,000 planes.
9:45 a.m.
The White House was evacuated.
9:57 a.m.
Passengers on United Airlines Flight 93 decided to try to overpower the hijackers.
9:59 a.m.
The South Tower of the World Trade Center collapsed killing around 600 workers and rescuers who were in the tower.
10:03 a.m.
United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a field in Shanksville Pennsylvania. It is believed that the hijackers deliberately crashed the plane to avoid being overcome by the passengers.
10:10 a.m.
Part of the Pentagon collapsed.
10:28 a.m.
The North Tower of the World Trade Center collapsed killing around 1400 workers and rescuers who were in the tower.
11:02 a.m.
Mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani called for Manhattan to be evacuated.
12.30 p.m.
Fourteen people who had survived the collapse of the North Tower emerged from the rubble.
5.20 p.m.
World Trade Center building 7 collapsed.
8.00 p.m.
Two Police officers were discovered alive but trapped in the rubble.
8.30 p.m.
President Bush addressed the nation condemning the attacks on America and vowing to fight a War against Terror to remove the terrorist threat.
First published 2014; updated and republished Sept 11 2020 @ 10:58 am – Updated – [last-modified]
Harvard Reference for this page:
Heather Y Wheeler. (2014 – 2020). September 11th Terror Attacks 2001 (9/11). https://www.thetimelinegeek.com/september-11th-terror-attacks-2001- Last accessed [date]