T8 B17 FAA Trips 2 of 3 Fdr- Draft Timeline- AA 77- AA 11- UA 175- UA 93

8/14/2019 T8 B17 FAA Trips 2 of 3 Fdr- Draft Timeline- AA 77- AA 11- UA 175- UA 93

1/11

American Airlines Flight 77 (AAL77)Washington Dulles to Los An gelesAll times indicated are Eastern D aylight Savings Time

0812:29 Dulles Airport Traff ic Control Tower (LAD) issued taxi instructions to AAL77.0820:00 AAL77 began takeoff roll, runw ay 30, Washington Dulles International Airport.

All communications with IAD and with Dulles Departure Control were routineand normal.0825:49 AAL77 established radio contact with W ashington A ir Route Tr affic ControlCenter (ZDC), "Center, American seventy-seven with you passing one-threedecimal zero (thirteen thousand feet) fo r one-seven-thousand (seventeenthousand feet)." All communications between ZDC and AAL77 appearroutine and normal. AAL77 is subsequ ently handed off to the Indiana polis

Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZID).0840:14 AAL established radio contact with ZID. "Center, American seventy-seven withyou, level three thirty (thirty-three thousand feet).0840:16 ZID acknowledged, "American seventy-seven, Indy center, roger, squawk three-seven-four-three." (Squawk is a control instruction to change the transpondersetting within the aircraft). AAL77 was subsequently instructed to climb tothirty-five thousand feet and later cleared to navigate direct to the Falmouthnavigational aid. When ZID ac knowledged AAL77, the sector was responsiblefo r fourteen a ircraft; additionally four aircraft were in handoff status to this sector.0850:00 Wa shington Operations Center ac tivated a T ac tical Net at the request of CivilAvia tion Security Intelligence (ACI).0850:51 AAL77 acknowledged the clearance to Faknouth. This was the last radiocomm unication with this flight.0854:43 AAL77 began a left turn towards the south withou t air traffic authorization.The altitude indicated thirty-five tho usa nd feet. Shortly after th e turn, th eaircraft was observed descend ing.0856:19 Secondary radar return (transpond er) indicating aircraft speed, altitude, and

flight information is lost on ZID radar displays. There was no longer anyradar return inform ation (either primary or secondary) on AAL77 indicatedat the ZID radar displays. Note: Analysis of several different radar sourcesindicated that the primary rad ar returns believed to be AAL77 were recorded butnot available fo r display on ZID radar displays.


2/11

DRAFT0856:32 ZID controller attempted to contact AAL77, "American seventy-seven, Indy."There was no acknowledgement. The controller m ade four additional attempts tocontact AAL77 withou t receiving any acknowledgement. ZED also tried tocommu nicate w ith AAL77 through Am erican Airlines company radios.0858:14 ZID made four attempts to contact AAL77 through American Airlines company

dispatch.0859:00 ZID controllers began coordin ating w ith other controllers to protect the airspaceand altitude of AAL77's filed route of flight.0909:00 ZED notified Great Lakes Regional Operations Center a possible aircraft accidentof AAL77 due to the simultaneous loss of radio communications and radaridentification. >r0924:00 Great Lakes Regional Operations Notified Washington Operations Center of thesimultaneous loss of radio comm unications and radar identification.0925:00 Between 0925:00 and 0930:00, this time is approximate based on personnelstatements from Dulles Term inal Radar Approach Control (IAD). Several IA Dcontrollers working radar positions in the facility observed a primary rad artarget tracking eastbound at a high rate of speed. Note: The unknownaircraft in this and all following times was later confirmed to be AAL77.0933:00 This time is approxima te based on personnel statements from IAD. AnOperations Supervisor at IAD advised the White House Office of the UnitedStates Secret Service of an unknown aircraft heading in the direction of the WhiteHouse, fast moving. Meanw hile, a controller was providing the same inform ation

to controllers working at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport TrafficControl Tower (DCA). The IAD Operations Supervisor also provided continuou supdates on a critical event teleconf erenc e established at the Federal Av iationAdm inistration Headquarters bu ilding .0933:00 This time is approximate based on personnel statements from DC A. AnOperations Supervisor at DCA was advised by L AD of the unknown aircraft. TheOperations Supervisor at DCA immediately notified the White Hou se Office ofthe United States Secret Service of the unknown aircraft's location and providedcontinuous updates.0936:00 Personnel at DCA issued traffic advisories on the unknown aircraft to a militaryC130 aircraft that had departed Andrews Air Force Base. When the C130 aircraft(GOFER06) reported the unidentified aircraft in sight, the pilot was instructed tofollow the unknown aircraft.0938:00 GOFER06 reported th at the unkno wn aircraft had crashed into the westernside of the Pentagon.

DRAFT


3/11

American Airlines Flight 11 (AAL11)Boston - Los AngelesAll t imes in dicated are Eastern Da ylight Savings Time

0756:27 Boston Airport Traffic Control Tow er (BOS) issued taxi instructions to AAL11.0800:00 AA L11 begins takeoff roll, runwa y 4 Right, Boston Loga n Internationa l Airport.All comm unications with BOS and with Boston D eparture C ontrol are routine and

normal.0809:17 AAL11 establishes radio con tact with Boston Air Route Traff ic ControlCenter (ZBW). "Boston Center, good morn ing, Am erican Eleven with youpassing through on e-nine-zero (nineteen thousand feet) fo r two-three-zero

(twenty-three thousand feet)."0809:22 ZBW ack nowledges AAL11. From this time until 0813:31 all communications

appear routine and normal. T he sector is responsible for six aircraft includingAAL11. T he flight is instructed to climb to twenty-eight thousand feet,subsequently to twenty-nine thousand feet, and issued a twenty degree turn fortraffic.

0813:47 ZBW instructs AAL 11 "Am erican Eleven, now, climb and m aintain flightlevel three-five-zero (thirty-five thousan d feet)." There is noacknowledgement to this transm ission. ZBW makes tw o subsequenttransmissions to AAL11, neither of which a re acknowledged. Between 0813:47and 0824:53, ZBW makes several radio transmissions attempting to contactAAL11. None of the attempts are acknowledged.0814:45 ZBW during intra-facility coordination recognizes tha t AAL11 appears to beturning right but has not ac knowledged climb clearance to thirty-five thousand

feet and has not acknowledged further radio transmissions.0817:59 A brief unknown sound (possibly a scream) from an unknow n origin is heard over

the ZBW radio.0820:48 Secondary radar return (transponder) indicating aircraft speed, altitude, andflight information is lost on ZBW radar displays. The aircraft is now

observed as a primary radar target only.0824:38 A radio transmission pa rtially unintelligible states, "w e have some planes just stayquiet and yo u'll be ok we are returning to the airport" from an unknow n origin is

heard over the ZBW radio.

DRAFT


4/11

DRAFT'^0824:57 A second radio transmission partially unintelligible states "nobody moveeverything will be o k if you try to make any moves y ou'll endanger yourself and

the airplane jus t stay quiet" - from anunkn own origin is heard over the ZBWradio.- 0825:00 ZBWbegins notification based on radio transm issions that a suspected hiiack is in

progress. The New England Regional Operations Center (ROC), the Air TrafficControl System Comm and Center (ATCSCC), and the ZBW facility manag er arenotified. Additionally, controllers begin inter-facility coordination with NewYork Air Route Traffic Control C enter (ZNY) of the possible hijacking.Coordination describes last known altitude as twenty-nine thousand feet anddirection of flight.0826:00 AAL11 begins southbound turn over Albany, New York. The last knownaltitude is twenty-nine thousand feet.0829:00***** DOD on site representative to ATCSCC notified.0833:59 A third radio transmission partially unintelligible states "nobody move please weare going back to the airport don't try to make any stupid moves" from anunknown origin is heard over the ZBW radio. AAL11 primary radar track is stillsouthbound, last know n altitude is twenty-nine thousand feet.0834:00 ZBW contacted Cape Terminal Radar A pproach Control (located on OTIS AirForce Base) and requested they notify the Military of the events regardingAAL11.0835:00 New England Regional Operations Center advised Washington Operations Center

(WOC) of the suspected hijack of AAL11.0836:00 W OC notifies Civil Av iation Security Intelligence (ACT), an d conferences NewEngland Regional Operations Center and Air Traffic Control Center0838:00 ZBW notifies New York Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZNY) of possiblehijacking of AAL11.

_ = > 0840:00 North East Air Defense Sector (NEADS) logs indicate they w ere notified by theFederal Aviation Adm inistration of the events concerning AAL11.->. 0841:00 Military Comm and (VACATES) issued scramble order on AAL11.

0844:00 ZNY facility manager notifies New York Terminal Radar Approach Control(N90) of possible hijacking of AAL11. N90 begins internal coordination of theaircraft's last known altitude (twenty-nine thousan d feet) and southbound course.-^ 0846:31 Primary radar trackin g of AA L11 is lost.

DRAFT


5/11

DRAFT0846:35 Impact at World Trade Center.0850:00 Washington Operations Center activated a Tactical Net at the request of CivilAviation Security Intelligence (ACI).0850:00 New ark Airport Traffic Control Tower (EWR) advises N90 of possible aircraftcrash into the W orld Trade Center.

AAT-20September 16, 20013:30pm


6/11

United Airlines Flight 17 5 (UAL175)Boston - LosAngelesAll t imes indicated are Eastern Da ylight Savings TimeDRAFT

0804:55 Boston Airport Traf f ic Control Tow er (BOS) issues taxi instruction to UA L175.0814:00 UAL175 begins takeoff roll, runwa y 9, Boston Logan International A irport. A llcom munications with BOS a nd with Boston Departure Control are routine andnormal.0823:01 UAL 175 establishes radio conta ct with Boston A ir Route T raffic ControlCenter (ZBW). "Boston, morning, United one-seven-five out of one-nine(nineteen thousand feet) for two-three-zero (twenty-three thousand feet)."0823:06 ZBW acknowledges UAL175. At this point th e controller is busy due to theevents surrounding AAL11. The sector is responsible for six aircraft includingUAL175. All communications between ZBW and UAL175 appear routine and

normal. The flight is subsequently instructed to climb to flight level 310 (thirty-one thousand feet) and after radar handoff , is issued frequenc y change to contactthe New York A ir Route Traff ic Control Center (ZNY).0840:32 UAL175 establishes radio contac t with ZNY. "United one-seventy-five a t flightlevel three-one-zero."0840:37 ZNY acknowledges UAL 175. "United one-seventy-five, New York Center,

roger."0841:32 UAL175 transmits to ZNY, "W e figured we'd wait to go to your c enter, w e heard

a suspicious transmission on our departure out of Boston. Someone keyed th emike (initiated radio communications) and said everyone stay in your seats."0841:51 ZNY replies, "okay, I'll pass that along." (Thecontroller ensured UAL175'scom ments were forwa rded to the Operations Ma nager.)0844:05 US Air Flight 83 transmits to ZNY "I just picked up an ELT (emergency locatortransmitter) on 121.5 (emergency VHP frequency). It wa s brief, but it went off."0844:09 ZNY acknowledges US Air Flight 83.

DRAFT


7/11

0846:48 UAL175 assigned transponder code of 1470 changes, first indicating 3020,then changing again to 3321. ZNY air traffic computers do not correlateeither of these codes with TJAL175. Consequently, th e secondary radarreturn (transponder) indic ating aircraft speed, altitude, and flightinformation begins to coast and is no longer associated with th e primaryradar return. Note: The controller comm unicating with UAL175 is alsomon itoring the flight track ofAALll. Based on coordination received fromZBW indicating a possible highjack, most of the controller's attention isfocused on AAL1L

0850:00 W ashington Operations Center activated a Tactical Net at the request of CivilAviation Security Intelligence (ACI).

0851:43 ZNY transmits to UAL175, "UAL175, recycle transponder, squawk code onefour seven zero." No response was r eceived from UAL175. The controllermakes several attempts, repeatedly trying to contact UAL175 for the nextfour minutes. During this time, th e aircraft is also observed making a leftturn and descending.

0853:24 ZN Y controller coordinates internally, asking other controllers if they seeTJAL175, or if they know who the unidentified radar target is on transpondercode 3321. None of the other controllers reply in the affirmative. Note: Theunknown aircraft in this and all following times w as later confirmed to beUAL175.0855:00 ZNY controller is busy trying to turn other aircraft away from the aircraftbelieved to be UAL175. The flight track of this aircraft has changed and is now

heading southeast bound.0855:00 This time is approximate based on personnel statements from ZNY. A controller-

in-charge (CIC) advised the Operations Manager (OM) that sh e believed UAL175was also hijacked. The OM advised the CIC that an aircraft had hit the WorldTrade Center. The CIC began coordinating w ith the controllers working positionan d one of the controllers stated that UAL175 appeared to heading "right towardsthe city." The CIC returned to the OM position and heard a request for militaryaircraft to scramble. UAL175 was observed in a rapid descent

0855:00 This time is approximate based on personnel statements from Z NY. A controllerworking a different position within ZNY reported that two aircraft , a DeltaAirlines flight was given instructions to avoid an unknown aircraft. At about thesame time a U S Airways flight reported taking evasive action from an unknownaircraft. The controller reported the unknown aircraft was now heading towardsNew Y ork City. The controller with other controllers speculated that theunknown aircraft was an emergency and was heading for an airport to land.


8/11

DRAFT0900:00 This time is approximate based on personnel statements from New YorkTerminal Radar Approach Control (N90). N90 controller "at approximately

9:00,1 observed an unknown aircraft south of the Newark, New JerseyAirport, northeast boun d and descending out of twelve thousand ninehundred feet in a rapid rate of descent, and the radar target terminated atthe World Trade Center."0903:14 Second Impact at World Trade Center.0905:00 North East Air Defense Sector (NEADS) logs indicate they were n otified by theFederal A viation Adm inistration of the events concerning UAL175.0905:00 N90 received no tification from the Newark A irport Traffic Control Tower of a

second aircraft striking the World Trade Center.

AAT-20September 16,20013:30pm


9/11

United Airlines Flight 93 (UAL93)Newark- San FranciscoAll times indicated are Eastern Daylight Savings Time

0809:18 Newark Airport Traffic Control Tower (EWR) issues taxi instructions to UAL93.0842:00 UAL93 begins takeoff roll, runw ay 4 left, Newa rk New Jersey InternationalAirport. All comm unications with EWR, with New York Departure Control, andwith New York Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZNY) are routine an d normal.0850:00 W ashington Operations Center activated a Tactical Net at the request of CivilAviation Security Intelligence (ACT) .0924:30 UAL93 establishes radio c ontact with C leveland A ir Route Traffic Control Center(ZOB), "Good morning Cleveland, United ninety-three, three-five-oh (thirty-fivethousand feet), intermittent light chop." T he controller is busy, the sector is

responsible for sixteen aircraft. Of these, several aircraft are being issued newroutes based on the events oc curring on the east coast. The controller does notreply to this initial transmission.0925:14 UAL93 again reports on ZOB frequency, "United ninety-three checking three-five-oh (thirty-five thousan d feet)." T he controller replies, "United ninety-three,Cleveland, roger." Note: This is the third radar sector within ZOB tocommunicate with UA L 9 3 . T he communications with th e previous sectors ar eroutine and normal.0928:19 A radio transmission of unintelligible sounds of possible screaming or a struggle

from an unknown origin is heard over the ZOB radio.0928:54 A second radio transmission, mostly unintelligible, again with sounds of possiblescreaming or a struggle and a statement, "get out of here, get out of here" from anunknown origin is heard over the ZOB radio. At about this same time, the ZOBcontroller observes that UAL93 has descended, altitude indicates thirty-fourthousand, three hundred feet.0929:29 ZOB controller asks UAL93, "United ninety-three, verify three-five-zero (thirty-five thousand feet)." T here was no reply. T he ZOB c ontroller makes severalattempts to c ontact UAL93 without receiving any acknowledgement.0929:50 ZOB controller begins movin g other aircraft away from UAL93 due to thelack of acknowledgement of any radio transmissions. Several other aircrafton the frequency confirm unu sual sounds of an unknow n origin. Thealtitude of UAL93 again ind icates thirty-five thousan d feet.


10/11

DRAFT0931:57 A third radio transmission, m ostly un intelligible, may sound like an individual outof breath, more unintelligible words and what sounds like "bomb on board" froman unknow n origin is heard over the ZOB radio.0932:31 A fourth radio transmission states "did you hear that transmission that reported abomb on board?" from an unknown origin is heard over the ZOB radio.0934:50 ZOB controller observes that UAL93 is climbing w ithout an air traffic controlauthorization. The aircraft has started a turn to the southeast, also without ai rtraffic control authorization.0938:47 UAL93 altitude indicates forty-thousand seven hund red feet.0939:12 A fifth radio transmission, mostly unintelligible, states words that may sound like"captain, .. .bomb on board, .. .our demands, .. .remain quiet"0939:59 ZOB notified Great Lakes Regional Operations Center of the screams and

statements from unknown origin, believed to be UAL93.0941:00 Secondary radar return (transponder) indicating aircraft speed, altitude, and flightinformation becomes intermittent an d eventually fails on ZOB radar displays.0944:31 ZOB controller notifies Pittsburgh Terminal Radar Approach Control (PIT) N orthArrival controller of the unanticipated turn, the loss of secondary radar return and

lack of radio communications with UAL93. The ZOB controller also states thatthe projected flight path would result in UAL93 passing in close proximity if notdirectly overhead the Greater Pittsburgh International Airport.0945:00 PIT controller notifies the Operations Supervisor of the events surroundingUAL93. The PIT controller also manu ally initiates radar tracking of the primaryradar target.0951:00 After determination by the PIT facility manager to evacuate, the controllers' havecompleted coordination with adjacen t facilities and the PIT facility has beenevacuated.0956:56 A small contingency of controllers (volunteers) returned to the facility andcoordination w ith adjacent facilities pertain ing to return to operational status iscompleted. The track of UAL93 is no longer visible on the PIT radar displays.1000:00 This time is approximate and is based on personnel statements from ZOB . AZOB controller's statement indicates that a pilot of a VFR aircraft reportedsighting a Un ited Airlines aircraft at approximately eight thousand feet in thevicinity of the Latrobe, Pennsylvania airport. The pilot also reported that theUnited Airlines aircraft's landing gear was down, the wings were rocking, andthat the aircraft appeared to be in distress.


11/11

DRAFT1004:00 This time is approximate and is based on personnel statements from ZOB. A

ZOB controller statement indicates that UAL93 s primary radar target terminatesin the vicinity of Somerset, Pennsylvania.1007:00 In response to a request from a ZOB controller, N20V F, a Falcon Jet reported

observing puffs of smoke in the vicinity of UAL93's last known position.1041:00 After receiving a telephone call from the Somerset, Pennsylvania, local police

department stat stating that several "911" telephone calls had been receivedreporting an aircraft accident, a ZOB operations manager made officialnotification to Great Lakes Regional Operations Center. Note: Although this isthe officially documented notification time, FAA officials were aware of theaccident as these events were reported as they occurred on a critical eventteleconference established at the Federal Aviation Administration headquartersbuilding.

AAT-20September 16, 20014:00 pm

Documents

T8 B17 FAA Trips 2 of 3 Fdr- Draft Timeline- AA 77- AA 11- UA 175- UA 93