Minute
by minute timetable of events of perhaps the
most tragic day in United States history (all times are
Eastern Standard Time)
On
Sept 11, 2001, the
first blow in New York's day of terror took
place at 8:42 a.m., when the first plane struck
the north tower of the World Trade Center in
lower Manhattan. The City's response came
virtually immediately thereafter, and continued
throughout the day.
8:42
a.m.
American
Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767 with 81
passengers, nine flight attendants and two
pilots, hijacked after takeoff from Boston en
route to Los Angeles, slams into the north tower
of the World Trade Center in New York City.
9:00
a.m.
18
minutes later, United Airlines Flight 175, a
Boeing 767, heading to Los Angeles, carrying 58
passengers, four flight attendants and two
pilots, slams into the south tower of the Trade
Center.
9:17
a.m.
The
FAA shuts down all New York City area airports.
9:21
a.m.
New
York City Port Authority orders all bridges and
tunnels in the New York City area closed.
9:24
a.m.
President
Bush calls the plane crashes at the World Trade
Center "an apparent terrorist attack on our
country."
9:32
a.m.
The
New York Stock Exchange is closed down.
9:40
a.m.
The
FAA shuts down the entire nationwide air traffic
system. All flights at U.S. airports are
stopped for the first time U.S. history.
9:43
a.m.
American
Airlines Flight 77, a Boeing 757 that took off
from Dulles airport heading to Los Angeles with
58 passengers and six crew members aboard,
crashes into a helicopter landing pad near the
Pentagon. Evacuation begins immediately.
9:45
a.m.
The
White House is evacuated.
9:57
a.m.
President
Bush departs from Florida, where he had been
giving a speech to a school.
10:05
a.m.
The
south tower of the World Trade Center collapses
to the ground, spewing debris for several square
blocks. A massive could of dust and debris forms
and engulfs the building.
10:10
a.m.
Portion
of the Pentagon collapses as a result of the
airplane crash there.
10:13
a.m.
More
than 11,000 people are evacuated from the United
Nations building in New York City.
10:22
a.m.
The
State and Justice departments, as well as the
World Bank, in Washington are evacuated.
10:24
a.m.
The
FAA diverts all inbound transatlantic aircraft
to Canada.
10:28
a.m.
The
north tower of the World Trade Center collapses
in a plum of smoke and debris.
10:29
a.m.
United
Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757 that took off
from Newark, N.J. heading for San Francisco,
carrying 38 passengers, two pilots and five
flight attendants, crashes just north of the
Somerset County Airport, about 80 miles
southeast of Pittsburgh.
10:45
a.m.
All
federal office buildings in Washing are
evacuated.
10:46
a.m.
U.S.
Secretary of State Colin Powell return to the
United States from Latin America.
10:53
a.m.
New
York cancels it's scheduled primary elections.
10:54
a.m.
Israel
evacuates all diplomatic missions.
10:57
a.m.
Governor
George Pataki closes all New York state offices.
11:02
a.m.
New
York Mayor Rudy Guilliani orders an evacuation
of lower Manhattan south of Canal Street.
12:04
p.m.
Los
Angeles International Airport is shut down and
evacuated.
12:15
p.m.
San
Francisco International Airport is evacuated and
shut down.
1:04
p.m.
President
Bush addresses the nation and advises that the
U.S. military has been placed on high alert
worldwide and states that: "Make no
mistake, the United States will hunt down and
punish those responsible for these cowardly
acts."
1:27
p.m.
The
City of Washington declares a state of
emergency.
1:44
p.m.
Five
battleships and two aircraft carriers leave the
U.S. Naval Station in Norfolk, Virginia, and
head to the East Coast to provide air defense
for New York and Washington.
1:48
p.m.
President
Bush leaves Barksdale Air Force Base in
Louisiana aboard Air Force One and flies to the
Strategic Air Command in Nebraska.
2:49
p.m.
Mayor
Giuliani holds a press conference and
states that the number of people killed is
"more than any of us can bear."
4:06
p.m.
California
sends expert teams to New York to help in the
search-and-rescue efforts.
4:10
p.m.
World
Trade Center building # 7 catches on fire.
4:30
p.m.
President
Bush leaves Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska
for Washington.
5:25
p.m.
7
World Trade Center, a 47 story building,
collapses from ancillary damage from the
morning's attack.
6:10
p.m.
Mayor
Giuliani asks all non-essential persons to stay
out of New York the following day.
9:00
p.m.
President
Bush addresses the nation and says that the
United States will make no distinction between
those who committed the crime and those who
harbor them.
9:08
p.m.
The
governor of New York announces that New York
City will be shut down below 14th Street.
9:57
p.m.
Mayor
Giuliani closes all New York City schools for
the following day.
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