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We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity.®
United Airlines Flight 93 left Newark NJ at 8:42 AM for San Francisco.
Warning: The text includes disturbing descriptions of events and
quotes from passengers on the flight.
Visitor Center/ 911 Memorial
The hijackers attacked at 9:28. While traveling 35,000 feet above eastern Ohio, United 93 suddenly dropped 700 feet. Eleven seconds into the descent, the FAA’s air traffic control center in Cleveland received the first of two radio transmissions from the aircraft. During the first broadcast, the captain or first officer could be heard declaring “Mayday” amid the sounds of a physical struggle in the cockpit. The second radio transmission, 35 seconds later, indicated that the fight was continuing. The captain or first officer could be heard shouting:“ Hey get out of here—get out of here—get out of here.”(1)
The Flight 93 Memorial is a National Memorial hosted by the National Park Service. We walked slowly along the trail.
At 9:57, the passenger assault began. Several passengers had terminated
phone calls with loved ones in order to join the revolt. One of the callers
ended her message as follows: “Everyone’s running up to first class. I’ve got to
go. Bye.”
The cockpit voice recorder captured the sounds of the passenger assault
muffled by the intervening cockpit door. Some family members who listened
to the recording report that they can hear the voice of a loved one among the
din. We cannot identify whose voices can be heard. But the assault was sustained. (2)
Visitors can circle a trail conducive to reflection on the way to the site where passengers attacked the men who hijacked their flight, which was headed toward Washington DC.
Crash site/ Debris field
In response, Jarrah immediately began to roll the airplane to the left and right, attempting to knock the passengers off balance. At 9:58:57, Jarrah told another hijacker in the cockpit to block the door. Jarrah continued to roll the airplane sharply left and right, but the assault continued. At 9:59:52, Jarrah changed tactics and pitched the nose of the airplane up and down to disrupt the assault. The recorder captured the sounds of loud thumps, crashes, shouts, and breaking glasses and plates. At 10:00:03, Jarrah stabilized the airplane.
Five seconds later, Jarrah asked,“ Is that it? Shall we finish it off?” A hijacker responded, “No. Not yet. When they all come, we finish it off.” The sounds of fighting continued outside the cockpit. Again, Jarrah pitched the nose of the aircraft up and down. At 10:00:26, a passenger in the background said, “In the cockpit. If we don’t we’ll die!” Sixteen seconds later, a passenger yelled, “Roll it!” (3)
There were no survivors. The plane crashed upside-down at 563 miles per hour into this Somerset County field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
President Bush's Speech 20th Anniversary 9/11 2021
Notes
Inside the visitor center is a timeline on several boards that tells the story of Flight 93 from takeoff to crash using explanatory text, photos of the crash and responders, videos from 911 news stories, and emotional audio recordings of calls from passengers recorded on home machines.
There are rest rooms and a gift store.
Rangers are available.
About photos: I took the photos when we visited the memorial 15 June 2021, which is the 20th year since the 11 September attack.
Website for more information: https://www.nps.gov/flni/index.htm
The 9/11
commission report: Final report of the national commission on terrorist attacks
upon the United States (2004). U.S. Government Printing Office. 0160723043
