9/11 Timeline: What Happened on September 11, 2001, From the First Plane Hijacking to the Final Crash

The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks unfolded over less than two hours, beginning with the hijacking of four commercial airplanes and ending with the collapse of the World Trade Center’s North Tower. Here is a timeline of what happened on 9/11, from the first hijacking and plane crash to the collapse of the Twin Towers and the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania, as the US marks 25 years of the attack.

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger planes flying from the northeastern United States to California. Two were deliberately flown into the World Trade Center in New York, one struck the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and the fourth crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew attempted to regain control of the aircraft.

The attacks killed 2,977 people, according to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

9/11 Timeline: What Time Did the Attacks Happen?

7:59 a.m. — American Airlines Flight 11 Takes Off

American Airlines Flight 11 departed Boston’s Logan International Airport at 7:59 a.m. The Boeing 767 was headed to Los Angeles. The aircraft was carrying 92 people, including five hijackers.

According to the 9/11 Commission, the flight’s last routine communication with air traffic control came shortly after 8:14 a.m.

8:14 a.m. — Flight 11 Is Hijacked

At approximately 8:14 a.m., Flight 11 stopped responding normally to air traffic controllers. The 9/11 Commission found that the hijacking of the aircraft occurred around this time. The plane subsequently turned south toward New York.

8:19 a.m. — Flight Attendants Report the Hijacking

Flight attendant Betty Ong contacted American Airlines and reported that people on board had been injured and that the aircraft was experiencing a serious security emergency. Another flight attendant, Amy Sweeney, later provided information about the situation aboard the plane.

8:20 a.m. — American Airlines Flight 77 Takes Off

American Airlines Flight 77 departed Washington Dulles International Airport at approximately 8:20 a.m. The Boeing 757 was bound for Los Angeles with 64 people aboard, including five hijackers.

8:42 a.m. — United Airlines Flight 175 Takes Off

United Airlines Flight 175 departed Boston Logan International Airport at approximately 8:14 a.m., while United Airlines Flight 93 left Newark at 8:42 a.m.

Flight 175 was headed to Los Angeles. Flight 93 was headed to San Francisco. The 9/11 Commission determined that Flight 175 was hijacked between approximately 8:42 and 8:46 a.m.

8:46 a.m. — Flight 11 Hits the North Tower

At 8:46:40 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into floors 93 through 99 of the World Trade Center’s North Tower in Lower Manhattan.

The impact started fires and caused catastrophic damage to the upper floors of the building. People inside and outside the tower initially did not know that the crash was part of a coordinated terrorist attack. The moment is one of the key times observed during the annual 9/11 commemoration ceremony.

8:46–9:00 a.m. — Emergency Response Begins

Firefighters, police officers, emergency medical workers and other first responders rushed toward the World Trade Center as people inside the complex began evacuating. At the same time, authorities were attempting to determine what had happened to the aircraft and whether the crash was accidental or deliberate.

9:03 a.m. — Flight 175 Hits the South Tower

At 9:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into floors 77 through 85 of the World Trade Center’s South Tower. The second impact made clear that the first crash had not been an accident.

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum identifies 9:03 a.m. as the second major moment in the attacks commemorated each year.

9:05 a.m. — President George W. Bush Is Told the U.S. Is Under Attack

President George W. Bush was visiting Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida, when he was informed that a second plane had struck the World Trade Center.

According to the 9/11 Commission, Chief of Staff Andrew Card whispered the news to Bush at approximately 9:05 a.m.

9:24 a.m. — Flight 93 Receives a Warning

United Airlines Flight 93 was still in the air when its crew received information about possible cockpit intrusions aboard other aircraft. The 9/11 Commission found that the aircraft’s passengers and crew eventually learned about the attacks through telephone calls and other communications.

9:28 a.m. — Flight 93 Is Hijacked

The 9/11 Commission determined that Flight 93 was likely taken over at approximately 9:28 a.m.

The plane was traveling east toward the Washington, D.C., area rather than continuing toward its original destination of San Francisco.

9:37 a.m. — Flight 77 Hits the Pentagon

At 9:37 a.m., American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon, the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense, in Arlington, Virginia.

The aircraft struck the western side of the building, killing everyone aboard and people inside the Pentagon.

Emergency crews immediately began firefighting and rescue operations.

9:42 a.m. — FAA Orders All Aircraft to Land

As authorities realized the scale of the attacks, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered aircraft across the United States to land at the nearest suitable airport.

The 9/11 Commission described the order as unprecedented. Thousands of aircraft were subsequently diverted or grounded.

9:59 a.m. — South Tower Collapses

At 9:59 a.m., the World Trade Center’s South Tower collapsed, less than an hour after being struck by Flight 175.

The collapse sent a massive cloud of dust and debris through Lower Manhattan and caused further destruction around the World Trade Center complex.

The South Tower had been hit after the North Tower, but it collapsed first.

10:03 a.m. — Flight 93 Crashes in Pennsylvania

At 10:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Passengers and crew had learned about the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon and attempted to take control of the aircraft from the hijackers.

The plane crashed in Somerset County before reaching its apparent target in Washington, D.C. All 40 passengers and crew members aboard Flight 93 were killed.

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum says the passengers and crew launched their counterattack after learning about the other attacks.

10:28 a.m. — North Tower Collapses

At 10:28 a.m., the World Trade Center’s North Tower collapsed.

It had been struck first, at 8:46 a.m., and stood for approximately 102 minutes before coming down.

The collapse left the World Trade Center site devastated and brought the immediate sequence of attacks in New York to a close.

What Happened After the Twin Towers Collapsed?

The attacks triggered an enormous rescue and recovery operation involving firefighters, police officers, emergency medical workers, military personnel, volunteers and other responders.

Thousands of people had escaped the World Trade Center before the towers collapsed, while many others remained trapped or were killed.

The rescue, recovery and cleanup operation at Ground Zero continued for months. The final piece of World Trade Center steel was ceremonially removed on May 30, 2002.

How Many People Died on 9/11?

A total of 2,977 people were killed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, excluding the 19 hijackers, according to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

Victims included people aboard the four hijacked aircraft, people working and visiting the World Trade Center, Pentagon personnel and first responders.

The attacks also had a lasting health impact on survivors and responders, with thousands of people later developing illnesses linked to exposure to the conditions at the World Trade Center site.