Ameer Randolph
On September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 175, a domestic passenger flight from Boston to Los Angeles, was hijacked and deliberately crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The impact and resulting fires caused by the aircraft's jet fuel led to the tower's collapse, killing everyone on board and causing the deaths of hundreds of people in the tower's upper levels and an unknown number below the impact zone. The amount of jet fuel on board Flight 175 when it crashed is estimated to have been approximately 10,000 US gallons (38,000 litres).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | September 11, 2001 |
| Departure Time | 08:14 |
| Departure Airport | Logan International Airport, Boston, Massachusetts |
| Destination Airport | Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California |
| Aircraft | Boeing 767-200 |
| Passengers and Crew | 51 passengers, 9 crew members (excluding 5 hijackers) |
| Total on Board | 65 |
| Hijackers | Marwan al-Shehhi, Fayez Banihammad, Mohand al-Shehri, Hamza al-Ghamdi, Ahmed al-Ghamdi |
| Fuel on Board | Approximately 10,000 US gallons (38,000 L; 8,300 imp gal) of jet fuel |
| Crash Time | 09:03:02 |
| Crash Location | South Tower, World Trade Center, New York City |
| Crash Speed | Approximately 590 mph (950 km/h, 264 m/s, or 513 knots) |
| Crash Floors | Between floors 77 and 85 |
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What You'll Learn
The flight was hijacked by al-Qaeda terrorists
United Airlines Flight 175 was hijacked by five al-Qaeda terrorists on the morning of September 11, 2001. The flight, which originated in Boston, was scheduled to fly to Los Angeles. Instead, it was deliberately crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.
The team of hijackers was led by Marwan al-Shehhi, who had trained as a pilot in South Florida specifically for the attacks. Al-Shehhi was originally from the United Arab Emirates and had spent time in Hamburg, Germany, as a student. The other hijackers on Flight 175 included Fayez Banihammad, also from the UAE, and three Saudis: brothers Hamza and Ahmed al-Ghamdi, and Mohand al-Shehri.
The hijackers were trained at an al-Qaeda camp called Mes Aynak in Kabul, Afghanistan, where they learned about weapons and explosives. They then received training in Karachi, Pakistan, on "Western culture and travel". In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, they underwent exercises in airport security and surveillance, including boarding flights operated by US carriers to observe pre-boarding security screenings, flight crew movements, and the timing of cabin services.
On the day of the attack, the hijackers boarded Flight 175 between 07:23 and 07:28. Banihammad boarded first and sat in first-class seat 2A, while al-Shehri sat in seat 2B. At 07:27, al-Shehhi and Ahmed al-Ghamdi boarded and sat in business class seats 6C and 9D, respectively. Hamza al-Ghamdi boarded a minute later and sat in 9C.
Flight 175 took off from Logan International Airport in Boston at 08:14 local time. Twenty-eight minutes into the flight, the hijackers injured several crew members, forced their way into the cockpit, and murdered both pilots. Al-Shehhi then took control of the aircraft. Unlike the terrorists aboard American Airlines Flight 11, the Flight 175 hijackers did not switch off the plane's transponder, so the aircraft remained visible on radar as it deviated from its assigned flight path.
At 08:51 EDT, air traffic controllers at the New York Center noticed the deviation and attempted to contact the cockpit of the hijacked airliner without success. Flight 175 twice nearly collided with other planes as it recklessly flew toward New York City. At 09:01, two minutes before the impact, the New York Center alerted another nearby Air Traffic Facility responsible for low-flying aircraft, which was able to monitor the aircraft's final moments.
At 09:03:02, Flight 175 crashed nose-first into the southern façade of the South Tower of the World Trade Center at a speed of approximately 590 mph. The aircraft was carrying approximately 10,000 US gallons (38,000 L; 8,300 imp gal) of jet fuel, which fuelled the fires that ultimately caused the tower's collapse. Everyone on board was killed, and the crash caused the deaths of more than 600 people in the South Tower's upper levels, as well as an unknown number of civilians and emergency personnel in the floors below.
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The jet fuel caused the collapse of the South Tower
On September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 175, a Boeing 767-200, was hijacked by five al-Qaeda terrorists and crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The plane was carrying approximately 10,000 US gallons (38,000 L) of jet fuel when it struck the tower between the 77th and 85th floors.
The jet fuel played a significant role in the collapse of the South Tower. While the initial impact and fireball consumed about one-third of the fuel, the remaining jet fuel burned for several minutes, igniting large fires throughout the impacted floors. The hollow construction of the towers allowed the burning jet fuel to penetrate deep inside, spreading the fire. This fire, fueled by the jet fuel, caused severe structural damage to the tower.
The impact of Flight 175 into the South Tower compromised the structural integrity of the building. The crash occurred close to a corner, creating an unbalanced weight distribution on the damaged section of the tower. This unbalanced weight, combined with the intense fires, led to the collapse.
While the jet fuel was a critical factor in the collapse, it is important to consider other contributing factors. The type of steel truss floor system and the effectiveness of fireproofing materials have been identified as areas requiring further evaluation. Additionally, the contents of the building, such as furniture and other combustible materials, fueled the fires that raged after the initial jet fuel burned out.
In conclusion, the jet fuel carried by United Airlines Flight 175 was a significant contributor to the collapse of the South Tower of the World Trade Center. The ignition and spread of jet fuel caused extensive fires, which, coupled with the structural damage inflicted by the impact, ultimately led to the tower's collapse.
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The flight departed from Logan Airport at 08:14
United Airlines Flight 175 departed from Logan Airport at 08:14 on the morning of September 11, 2001. The flight was scheduled to depart at 08:00, but it pushed back from the gate at 07:58 and took off from runway 9 at 08:14.
The Boeing 767-200 aircraft was carrying 51 passengers and 9 crew members (excluding the 5 hijackers) and was due to fly from Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, to Los Angeles International Airport in California. The plane had taken off just before the aircraft was hijacked by five al-Qaeda terrorists.
At 08:33, the aircraft reached a cruising altitude of 31,000 feet, and at 08:37, air traffic controllers asked the pilots of Flight 175 if they could see American Airlines Flight 11, which had been hijacked by a team of terrorists. The crew of Flight 175 responded that Flight 11 was at 29,000 feet, and controllers ordered Flight 175 to turn and avoid the other aircraft.
At 08:41, United 175 entered New York Center's airspace, and at 08:47, as American 11 crashed into the North Tower, United 175's transponder code changed several times, going unnoticed for several minutes. At 08:48, a New York Center manager reported to an FAA Command Center teleconference about American 11, stating that they were "watching the airplane".
By 08:51, ATC workers had noticed the deviation from Flight 175's assigned flight path and made several unsuccessful attempts to contact the cockpit of the hijacked airliner. At 08:55, the controller-in-charge notified a New York Center manager that she believed United 175 had been hijacked, and at 09:01, the New York Center alerted another nearby Air Traffic Facility responsible for low-flying aircraft, who were able to monitor the aircraft's path in its final moments.
At exactly 09:03:02, Flight 175 crashed nose-first into the southern façade of the South Tower of the World Trade Center, with approximately 10,000 US gallons (38,000 L) of jet fuel on board.
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The hijackers boarded between 07:23 and 07:28
On the morning of September 11, 2001, five al-Qaeda terrorists boarded United Airlines Flight 175 between 07:23 and 07:28. The flight was scheduled to depart at 08:00 from Logan International Airport in Boston, bound for Los Angeles International Airport in California.
The five hijackers included Fayez Banihammad, who boarded first and sat in first-class seat 2A, and Mohand al-Shehri, who sat in seat 2B. At 07:27, Marwan al-Shehhi, the lead hijacker, and Ahmed al-Ghamdi boarded, sitting in business-class seats 6C and 9D, respectively. A minute later, Hamza al-Ghamdi, brother of Ahmed, boarded and sat in seat 9C.
The 51 passengers and five hijackers boarded the Boeing 767 through Terminal C's Gate 19. The plane pushed back at 07:58 and took off at 08:14 from Runway 9, about the same time as American Airlines Flight 11 was hijacked.
Twenty-eight minutes into the flight, the hijackers injured several crew members, forced their way into the cockpit, and murdered both pilots, Victor Saracini and Michael Horrocks. They moved anyone who remained to the rear of the aircraft. Al-Shehhi, who had obtained a commercial pilot's license, was able to take control of the flight.
Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City at 09:03:02, killing everyone on board and causing the deaths of more than 600 people in the tower, as well as an unknown number of civilians and emergency personnel on the floors below.
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The aircraft was a Boeing 767-200
The 767-200 typically carries 181 passengers in a 3-class configuration, with a range of 5,600 to 6,385 nautical miles. The aircraft has a length of 54.9 metres, a wingspan of 47.6 metres, and a height of 15.6 metres. The cruising speed is 0.78 Mach, with a maximum speed of 0.86 Mach. The service ceiling is 43,100 ft.
On September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 175 was hijacked by five al-Qaeda terrorists and deliberately crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The aircraft was flying from Logan International Airport in Boston to Los Angeles International Airport in California. All 65 people aboard were killed, along with an unconfirmed number in the building's impact zone.
The crash of Flight 175 into the South Tower caused a massive explosion, with the aircraft carrying approximately 10,000 US gallons (38,000 litres) of jet fuel on board. The jet fuel contributed to the intense fires that ravaged the tower, leading to its eventual collapse.
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Frequently asked questions
The aircraft had approximately 10,000 US gallons (38,000 L; 8,300 imp gal) of jet fuel on board.
The jet fuel from US Air Flight 175 caused the collapse of the South Tower. The tower burned for 56 minutes before collapsing at 9:59 AM.
Everyone on board the flight was killed, as well as over 600 people in the South Tower's upper levels and an unknown number of civilians and emergency personnel in the floors below.
Yes, some debris from Flight 175 was recovered nearby, including the landing gear found on a building on West Broadway and Park Place, and an engine found at Church and Murray Street.
