Flight 93: What Happened on 9/11, Where It Crashed, Who Was Aboard & Why It Matters
What Happened on 9/11, Where It Crashed, Who Was Aboard & Why It Matters
United Airlines Flight 93 was one of four commercial airplanes hijacked during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
The Boeing 757 left Newark, New Jersey, for San Francisco at 8:42 a.m. with 33 passengers, seven crew members and four hijackers aboard. About 46 minutes into the flight, the hijackers seized control and turned the aircraft toward Washington, D.C.
After learning through phone calls that other hijacked planes had struck the World Trade Center and Pentagon, passengers and surviving crew members made a collective decision to fight back. Their assault toward the cockpit began at approximately 9:57 a.m.
Flight 93 crashed at 10:03:11 a.m. in a field in Stonycreek Township, Somerset County, near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. All 40 passengers and crew members were killed, along with the four hijackers. The National Park Service says the passengers’ and crew’s actions prevented the aircraft from reaching its intended target in Washington.
In September 2026, Americans marked the 25th anniversary of 9/11, including remembrance ceremonies at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania.
Flight 93 Quick Facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Flight | United Airlines Flight 93 |
| Date | September 11, 2001 |
| Aircraft | Boeing 757 |
| Origin | Newark, New Jersey |
| Destination | San Francisco, California |
| Takeoff | 8:42 a.m. |
| Hijacking began | About 9:28 a.m. |
| Passenger counterattack | About 9:57 a.m. |
| Crash | 10:03:11 a.m. |
| Crash location | Near Shanksville, Pennsylvania |
| Passengers | 33 |
| Crew | 7 |
| Hijackers | 4 |
| People aboard | 44 |
| Passengers and crew killed | 40 |
| Likely intended target | U.S. Capitol |
The National Park Service maintains the official historical record and memorial information for the flight. Official Flight 93 National Memorial
What Happened to Flight 93?
Flight 93 was scheduled to travel normally from Newark to San Francisco.
It left the gate at 8:01 a.m., but heavy morning traffic delayed takeoff until 8:42 a.m., more than 25 minutes later than expected.
At 8:46 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
At 9:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower.
Flight 93 was still heading west at that point.
United Airlines began warning its pilots about cockpit intrusions, and Captain Jason Dahl acknowledged the message shortly before Flight 93 was hijacked.
At approximately 9:28 a.m., the attackers seized the cockpit. Air traffic controllers heard sounds of a struggle and saw the aircraft suddenly lose altitude. The plane then turned southeast toward Washington, D.C.
Flight 93 Timeline
| Time | What happened |
|---|---|
| 8:42 a.m. | Flight 93 takes off from Newark |
| 8:46 a.m. | Flight 11 hits World Trade Center North Tower |
| 9:03 a.m. | Flight 175 hits South Tower |
| 9:28 a.m. | Flight 93 hijacking begins |
| About 9:30 a.m. | Passengers and crew begin making phone calls |
| 9:37 a.m. | Flight 77 strikes the Pentagon |
| 9:55 a.m. | Washington-area navigation information is entered into Flight 93’s computer |
| 9:57 a.m. | Passengers and crew begin their counterattack |
| 10:03:11 a.m. | Flight 93 crashes in Pennsylvania |
The timeline is supported by flight data, cockpit recordings, radar evidence, telephone records and the 9/11 Commission’s investigation.
Where Did Flight 93 Crash?
Flight 93 crashed in Stonycreek Township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, near the small community of Shanksville.
The aircraft struck an open field at approximately 563 mph.
Flight data showed the aircraft descending nose-down and inverted immediately before impact. The recorded time of impact was 10:03:11 a.m.
The location later became the Flight 93 National Memorial.
Today, the actual impact area is treated as the final resting place of the passengers and crew and is not open for ordinary public access. Visitors can view the area from the Memorial Plaza and other designated locations.
How Many People Were on Flight 93?
There were 44 people aboard Flight 93:
- 33 passengers
- 7 crew members
- 4 hijackers
The 40 passengers and crew members are the people honored at the Flight 93 National Memorial.
The crew consisted of pilots Jason Dahl and LeRoy Homer and flight attendants Lorraine Bay, Sandy Bradshaw, Wanda Green, CeeCee Lyles and Deborah Welsh.
The National Park Service maintains individual biographies for the passengers and crew. Flight 93 passengers and crew biographies
Why Did the Flight 93 Passengers Fight Back?
The passengers initially did not know that their hijacking was part of a coordinated terrorist attack.
That changed when they began calling family members, friends, airline personnel and emergency authorities.
Between the hijacking at 9:28 a.m. and the crash at 10:03 a.m., 13 people aboard Flight 93 made 37 phone calls.
During those conversations, they learned that planes had already struck the World Trade Center and Pentagon.
They understood that their own aircraft was probably intended to be used as another weapon.
According to the National Park Service and the 9/11 Commission, the passengers and surviving crew members discussed their options, took a vote and decided to attempt to regain control of the aircraft.
The counterattack began at approximately 9:57 a.m.
What Does “Let’s Roll” Mean in the Flight 93 Story?
One of the most remembered phrases associated with Flight 93 is:
“Let’s roll.”
Passenger Todd Beamer had been speaking with a telephone operator after unsuccessfully trying to contact his wife.
According to the operator’s account, Beamer provided information about the hijacking, asked that a message be passed to his family and joined the operator in prayer.
Near the end of the call, the operator reported hearing him say:
“Are you guys ready? Okay. Let’s roll.”
The phrase later became closely associated with the passengers’ decision to resist the hijackers.
What Happened During the Passenger Counterattack?
At approximately 9:57 a.m., passengers and crew moved toward the front of the aircraft.
The cockpit voice recorder captured the continuing struggle.
The hijacker flying the aircraft responded by violently rolling the plane left and right and then pitching its nose up and down in an attempt to disrupt the assault.
The struggle continued for several minutes.
Flight data show that shortly before impact the aircraft rolled and descended sharply. It hit the ground at 10:03:11 a.m.
Evidence reviewed by investigators indicates that the hijackers deliberately crashed the aircraft while the passengers and crew continued their attempt to regain control.
There is no evidence that the passengers themselves intentionally crashed Flight 93.
What Was Flight 93’s Intended Target?
Flight 93 was heading toward Washington, D.C.
The strongest evidence indicates that the United States Capitol Building was the most likely intended target.
At 9:55 a.m., the hijacker flying the aircraft entered navigational information associated with Washington Reagan National Airport.
Investigators also examined planning information from the 9/11 plot showing that both the White House and Capitol had been discussed as possible targets. The National Park Service says evidence presented during later proceedings supports the Capitol as the most likely target.
That distinction is important: it is reasonable to say the Capitol was the most likely target, rather than claiming the intended target is known with absolute certainty.
How Close Was Flight 93 to Washington?
Flight 93 crashed roughly 125 miles from Washington, D.C.
The National Park Service notes that the aircraft was only about 20 minutes of flying time from Washington when it went down.
Had the passenger revolt not occurred, Flight 93 could potentially have continued toward the nation’s capital.
Exactly what would have happened after that point cannot be known.
Was Flight 93 Shot Down?
No credible investigation concluded that Flight 93 was shot down.
The 9/11 Commission found that NORAD did not learn Flight 93 had been hijacked until after the aircraft had already crashed.
The Commission also found that the Langley fighter pilots operating around Washington did not have the information or shoot-down authorization necessary to intercept Flight 93 before the crash.
Flight recorder evidence, cockpit recordings, radar information and the physical investigation support the conclusion that the aircraft crashed during the continuing struggle between the passengers, crew and hijackers.
Was the Flight 93 Cockpit Recording Recovered?
Yes.
Investigators recovered both the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder, commonly called a black box.
The cockpit voice recorder was found on September 14, 2001, about 25 feet deep in the impact crater.
The recording became crucial evidence because it captured approximately the final 30 minutes of events in and around the cockpit.
The recording itself has not been publicly released.
However, a transcript was made public in April 2006 during the sentencing trial of Zacarias Moussaoui. The National Park Service currently provides the transcript online and warns readers that the material contains disturbing descriptions and sounds.
Read the official Flight 93 cockpit voice recorder information and transcript
What Investigators Found at the Flight 93 Crash Site
Flight 93’s crash site became a major FBI crime scene.
Investigators searched the impact crater and surrounding debris field, collecting aircraft wreckage, personal effects and evidence connected to the hijackers.
The FBI recovered both flight recorders as well as other evidence that helped investigators reconstruct what happened aboard the plane.
The site was excavated for 13 days before the impact crater was later backfilled.
Flight 93 National Memorial
The crash site is now preserved as Flight 93 National Memorial, administered by the National Park Service.
The memorial includes several major features.
Wall of Names
Forty polished white marble panels bear the names of the passengers and crew members.
The wall follows the final flight path toward the impact area and visually represents both their individuality and their collective action.
Memorial Plaza
The Memorial Plaza runs along the boundary of the crash site and leads visitors toward the Wall of Names.
A sandstone boulder marks the general area where the aircraft struck the ground.
Tower of Voices
The Tower of Voices stands 93 feet tall and contains 40 wind chimes, one for each passenger and crew member.
The National Park Service describes it as a living memorial in sound.
Memorial Groves
Forty Memorial Groves also commemorate the passengers and crew as part of the memorial landscape.
Visitors planning a trip can find current information directly from the National Park Service. Plan a visit to Flight 93 National Memorial
Flight 93 and the 25th Anniversary of 9/11
September 11, 2026 marked 25 years since the attacks.
Families, visitors and public officials gathered at the Flight 93 National Memorial on September 11 for remembrance ceremonies honoring the passengers and crew. Similar observances took place at the World Trade Center and Pentagon.
At the Flight 93 memorial, the National Park Service held a morning observance featuring the reading of the passengers’ and crew members’ names and the Bells of Remembrance, followed later by an afternoon ceremony and public wreath laying.
Special 25th-anniversary programming at the memorial runs from September 9 through September 13, 2026. A Luminaria Ceremony is scheduled for September 12, with 40 candle lanterns placed at the Wall of Names, followed by the Tower of Light tribute.
The anniversary carries additional significance because a growing share of Americans were born after September 11, making museums, memorials and educational programs increasingly important for preserving firsthand history.
Why Flight 93 Remains Important 25 Years Later
Flight 93 occupies a distinct place in the history of September 11.
Unlike the other three hijacked aircraft, it did not reach the attackers’ intended target.
That outcome was directly connected to the passengers and crew learning what was happening elsewhere and choosing to act.
They were ordinary travelers and airline employees who had only minutes to understand an unprecedented situation, communicate with people on the ground and decide what to do.
Their actions did not save their own lives.
But they prevented Flight 93 from completing the planned attack in Washington.
The Flight 93 National Memorial describes the story as one of unity, courage and resistance in extraordinary circumstances.
Flight 93 FAQ
What happened to Flight 93?
United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked on September 11, 2001. After passengers and crew learned of the other terrorist attacks, they attempted to retake the aircraft. The hijackers crashed the plane in Pennsylvania during the struggle.
Where did Flight 93 crash?
Flight 93 crashed in Stonycreek Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, near Shanksville.
What time did Flight 93 crash?
The official impact time is 10:03:11 a.m. Eastern Time.
How many people died on Flight 93?
The 40 passengers and crew members were killed, along with the four hijackers. There were 44 people aboard in total.
Where was Flight 93 going?
Before the hijacking, the scheduled route was Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco, California.
Where were the hijackers taking Flight 93?
After taking control, the hijackers redirected the plane toward Washington, D.C. Evidence indicates the U.S. Capitol was the most likely target.
Who said “Let’s roll” on Flight 93?
Passenger Todd Beamer is associated with the phrase. The telephone operator speaking with him reported hearing, “Are you guys ready? Okay. Let’s roll.”
How many calls were made from Flight 93?
Thirteen people aboard made 37 phone calls between the hijacking and the crash.
Did Flight 93 passengers reach the cockpit?
The passengers and crew launched a sustained assault toward the cockpit. The evidence shows the struggle continued until impact, but investigators do not conclude that the passengers regained control of the aircraft before it crashed.
Was Flight 93 shot down?
No. The 9/11 Commission found that NORAD did not learn the plane was hijacked until after it had crashed.
Is there a Flight 93 transcript?
Yes. The cockpit voice recorder transcript is public, although the actual audio recording remains sealed by the FBI.
Can you visit the Flight 93 crash site?
Visitors can visit the Flight 93 National Memorial and view the crash area from designated memorial locations. The actual impact site is closed to the general public because it is considered the final resting place of the passengers and crew.
Bottom Line
United Airlines Flight 93 took off from Newark on September 11, 2001, bound for San Francisco.
At approximately 9:28 a.m., four hijackers seized the aircraft and redirected it toward Washington, D.C.
Through phone calls, the passengers and crew learned that the United States was under coordinated attack. They voted to fight back and began moving toward the cockpit at approximately 9:57 a.m.
Six minutes later, at 10:03:11 a.m., Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
All 40 passengers and crew members died, along with the four hijackers, but Flight 93 never reached its likely intended target—the U.S. Capitol.
Twenty-five years later, the Flight 93 National Memorial continues to preserve the site and tell the story of the passengers and crew whose collective actions changed the course of that morning.
