United Airlines Flight 175

United Airlines Flight 175
MysidOriginal by the 9/11 Commission · Public domain · source
Date	September 11, 2001
Site	South Tower of the World Trade Center, New York City
Occupants	65
Fatalities	65 (all on board, plus many in the tower)
Aircraft type	Boeing 767
Operator	United Airlines
Tail number	N612UA
Origin	Logan International Airport
Destination	Los Angeles International Airport

United Airlines Flight 175 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight that was hijacked by five al-Qaeda terrorists as part of the September 11 attacks. The hijackers deliberately crashed the aircraft into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City at 9:03 a.m. EDT. The impact and resulting fire caused the tower's catastrophic collapse, which, along with the destruction of the North Tower by American Airlines Flight 11, resulted in thousands of deaths and marked a defining moment in modern history.

Flight Details

The flight was a regularly scheduled morning service from Logan International Airport in Boston to Los Angeles International Airport. It was operated by a Boeing 767-222, a wide-body jetliner commonly used for transcontinental routes. The assigned aircraft, registered as N612UA, was delivered to United Airlines in 1983. On the morning of September 11, 2001, the flight was under the jurisdiction of the Federal Aviation Administration's Boston Air Route Traffic Control Center after departure. Its planned route would have taken it across the continental United States, a journey monitored by multiple air traffic control facilities.

Departure and Crash

Flight 175 pushed back from Gate C19 at Logan Airport at 7:58 a.m. and took off at 8:14 a.m. The last routine radio communication from the flight crew occurred at 8:37 a.m. The hijacking began shortly thereafter, with the terrorists assaulting the cockpit and taking control of the aircraft. At 8:47 a.m., the Federal Aviation Administration notified the North American Aerospace Defense Command of a possible hijacking. The aircraft deviated sharply from its assigned course, turning south toward New York City. At 9:03 a.m., it struck the South Tower of the World Trade Center between the 77th and 85th floors, as witnessed live by millions on television networks like CNN and broadcast globally.

Aircraft and Crew

The aircraft was a twin-engine Boeing 767-222, powered by Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4D engines. The captain was Victor Saracini, a veteran pilot with United Airlines, and the first officer was Michael Horrocks. They were assisted by a full cabin crew, which included lead flight attendant Robert Fangman and attendants like Amy Jarret and Kathryn Laborie. The cockpit voice recorder recovered from the crash site later revealed the struggle during the hijacking. The five hijackers, led by Marwan al-Shehhi, had trained at al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan and entered the United States on various visas in the preceding months.

Passengers

The flight was carrying 56 passengers in addition to the 9 crew members. Among the passengers were several business professionals, including employees of the financial firm Marsh & McLennan Companies, which had offices in the World Trade Center. Other notable passengers included film producer Berry Berenson and Daniel Lewin, a co-founder of the internet company Akamai Technologies. The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (the 9/11 Commission) later documented the movements and backgrounds of the hijackers, who were seated in the first-class cabin.

Impact and Aftermath

The impact caused an immense explosion and ignited a massive, fuel-intensive fire within the South Tower. The structural damage from the high-speed impact, combined with the intense heat weakening the steel trusses, led to the tower's collapse at 9:59 a.m. The destruction of both towers resulted in the deaths of 2,606 people at the World Trade Center site, in addition to the 157 people on board American Airlines Flight 11 and this flight. The attack prompted an immediate nationwide ground stop by the Federal Aviation Administration and led directly to the launch of the War in Afghanistan and the creation of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The site was later redeveloped as the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and the One World Trade Center tower.

Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 2001 Category:September 11 attacks Category:United Airlines