United Airlines Flight 175

United Airlines Flight 175
MysidOriginal by the 9/11 Commission · Public domain · source
Occurrence type	Hijacking, crash
Caption	The World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, with United Airlines Flight 175 crashing into the South Tower
Date	September 11, 2001
Site	South Tower, World Trade Center, Manhattan, New York City
Origin	Boston Logan International Airport
Destination	Los Angeles International Airport
Passengers	56
Crew	11
Fatalities	65 (including 5 hijackers)
Aircraft type	Boeing 767-200
Operator	United Airlines
Registration	N612UA

United Airlines Flight 175 was a scheduled United Airlines domestic passenger flight that departed from Boston Logan International Airport in Massachusetts and was hi-jacked by al-Qaeda terrorists on September 11, 2001. The flight was operated by a Boeing 767-200 aircraft, registered as N612UA, and was scheduled to arrive at Los Angeles International Airport in California. On board the flight were 56 passengers and 11 crew members, including the pilots Victor Saracini and Michael Horrocks, as well as flight attendants such as Robert Fangman and Amy Jarret. The flight was also carrying five hijackers, led by Marwan al-Shehhi, who were affiliated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda, founded by Osama bin Laden.

● Introduction

The events surrounding the hijacking and crash of the flight were part of a larger terrorist attack on the United States, which included the hijacking of three other commercial airliners: American Airlines Flight 11, American Airlines Flight 77, and United Airlines Flight 93. The attacks were carried out by al-Qaeda operatives, who were led by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Ramzi bin al-Shibh, and were coordinated with the 9/11 Commission later concluding that the attacks were planned and directed by Osama bin Laden from Afghanistan, where he was being harbored by the Taliban regime, led by Mullah Mohammed Omar. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) were criticized for their slow response to the hijackings, which were also investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), led by Robert Mueller.

● Background

The Boeing 767-200 aircraft, registered as N612UA, was a wide-body jet airliner that was designed for long-haul flights, such as those operated by United Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines. The aircraft was equipped with General Electric CF6 engines and had a range of over 6,000 nautical miles, making it suitable for flights between New York City and Los Angeles, as well as international routes to destinations such as London, Paris, and Tokyo. The flight crew, including pilots Victor Saracini and Michael Horrocks, were experienced aviators who had undergone extensive training at the United Airlines Flight Training Center in Denver, Colorado, which was also used by other airlines such as Continental Airlines and US Airways.

● Hijacking and Crash

The hijacking of the flight began at around 8:42 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), when the five hijackers, led by Marwan al-Shehhi, seized control of the aircraft, using box cutters and pepper spray to subdue the passengers and crew members, including flight attendants such as Robert Fangman and Amy Jarret. The hijackers then took control of the cockpit and altered the flight's course, heading towards New York City and the World Trade Center, which was also the target of American Airlines Flight 11, hijacked by Mohamed Atta and Waleed al-Shehri. At 9:03 a.m. EDT, the aircraft crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center, causing massive damage and fires, which were also fueled by the jet fuel from the aircraft, similar to the damage caused by the crash of American Airlines Flight 11 into the North Tower.

● Aftermath

The crash of the flight into the South Tower of the World Trade Center caused widespread destruction and loss of life, with over 600 people killed in the South Tower alone, including passengers and crew members of the flight, as well as people in the building and on the ground, such as emergency workers and first responders from the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) and the New York City Police Department (NYPD). The World Trade Center site was later visited by President George W. Bush, who pledged to bring those responsible for the attacks to justice, and was also the site of a memorial service attended by Vice President Dick Cheney, New York Governor George Pataki, and New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

● Investigation

The investigation into the hijacking and crash of the flight was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which was assisted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the 9/11 Commission, chaired by Thomas Kean and Lee Hamilton. The investigation found that the hijackers were affiliated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda, which was led by Osama bin Laden and had planned and directed the attacks from Afghanistan, where they were being harbored by the Taliban regime, led by Mullah Mohammed Omar. The investigation also found that the hijackers had used fake identification and fraudulent visas to enter the United States, and had undergone flight training at aviation schools in Florida and California, such as the Huffman Aviation school in Venice, Florida.

● Legacy

The hijacking and crash of the flight had a significant impact on aviation security and counter-terrorism policies, leading to the creation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act, signed into law by President George W. Bush. The flight is also remembered as a symbol of the 9/11 attacks, which were the deadliest terrorist attack in United States history, and are commemorated by the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City, which was dedicated by President Barack Obama and features a memorial to the passengers and crew members of the flight, as well as a museum exhibit on the history of the 9/11 attacks, including the role of al-Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Laden. The flight is also remembered by the United Airlines Flight 175 Memorial, located in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, near the site of the crash of United Airlines Flight 93, which was also hijacked by al-Qaeda operatives on September 11, 2001.

Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 2001