who crashed into the twin towers is a question that points to two separate commercial flights hijacked during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m., while United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower at 9:03 a.m. The two aircraft were deliberately redirected toward New York after terrorists seized control of them.
The identities of the aircraft, pilots, and other hijackers have been established through the extensive investigations that followed the attacks. Ten hijackers were aboard the two planes that hit the World Trade Center. Five took control of Flight 11, while another five seized Flight 175.
The attacks on the Twin Towers formed part of a coordinated operation involving four commercial airplanes. The other two aircraft were American Airlines Flight 77, which struck the Pentagon, and United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers and crew members attempted to regain control.
The Two Flights That Hit the World Trade Center
The Twin Towers were struck by two different Boeing aircraft on the morning of September 11, 2001.
American Airlines Flight 11 was the first plane to reach Manhattan. It had departed Boston Logan International Airport and was scheduled to fly to Los Angeles. After the hijacking, the aircraft turned toward New York.
At 8:46 a.m., Flight 11 slammed into the North Tower.
Seventeen minutes later, United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower. That aircraft had also left Boston and was heading toward Los Angeles before terrorists took control.
The basic sequence was:
| Flight | Original route | Target | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines Flight 11 | Boston to Los Angeles | North Tower | 8:46 a.m. |
| United Airlines Flight 175 | Boston to Los Angeles | South Tower | 9:03 a.m. |
The two impacts were close enough in time to make clear that the first crash was part of a larger attack. Television audiences across the United States watched the second aircraft hit the South Tower live.
Five Hijackers Were on Flight 11
Five terrorists were assigned to American Airlines Flight 11.
They were Mohamed Atta, Satam al-Suqami, Waleed al-Shehri, Wail al-Shehri, and Abdulaziz al-Omari.
Mohamed Atta was the pilot who took control of the aircraft. He had received flight training in the United States before the attacks.
Flight 11 left Boston shortly before 8 a.m. The hijacking occurred after departure. The aircraft stopped following its expected route and eventually headed toward New York.
The plane struck the North Tower at 8:46 a.m.
The impact occurred between the 93rd and 99th floors. The collision caused severe structural damage and started intense fires inside the building.
People trapped above the impact zone faced extremely difficult conditions. Thousands of people inside the tower and nearby buildings began trying to escape as emergency crews rushed toward the World Trade Center.
Mohamed Atta’s Role
Mohamed Atta was one of the central figures in the September 11 operation.
He was born in Egypt and later became involved with the extremist network that organized the attacks. Atta spent time in Germany before traveling to the United States.
He received flight training in Florida and ultimately became the pilot associated with Flight 11.
Investigators later established that Atta had been deeply involved in preparations for the operation. His movements, communications, travel, and activities became important parts of the investigation into the attacks.
The hijackers did not simply seize planes without preparation. The operation involved extensive planning and training before September 11.
Five Hijackers Took Over Flight 175
United Airlines Flight 175 was hijacked by five terrorists.
They were Marwan al-Shehhi, Fayez Banihammad, Ahmed al-Ghamdi, Hamza al-Ghamdi, and Mohand al-Shehri.
Marwan al-Shehhi served as the pilot who took control of the aircraft.
Flight 175 departed Boston Logan International Airport at approximately 7:58 a.m. It was scheduled to travel to Los Angeles.
After the hijacking, the aircraft changed course toward New York City.
At 9:03 a.m., the aircraft struck the South Tower.
The second impact was captured by television cameras and became one of the most recognizable images of the attacks. It also confirmed that the first crash had not been an isolated aviation accident.
Marwan al-Shehhi and Flight 175
Marwan al-Shehhi was from the United Arab Emirates.
He became associated with Mohamed Atta while living in Germany. The two later traveled to the United States and trained as pilots.
Al-Shehhi eventually took control of Flight 175 during the September 11 operation.
The aircraft struck the South Tower between the 77th and 85th floors.
The South Tower had been hit less than an hour before it collapsed. At approximately 9:59 a.m., the building came down, sending a huge cloud of dust and debris through Lower Manhattan.
Why the Two Towers Were Targeted
The World Trade Center represented American economic power and had become an internationally recognized symbol of commerce.
The attackers selected the Twin Towers as major targets in their broader terrorist operation.
The first aircraft hit the North Tower. The second aircraft struck the South Tower.
The attacks created a massive emergency in New York City. Firefighters, police officers, emergency medical workers, and other responders entered the area while thousands of civilians tried to evacuate.
The destruction was unprecedented in scale.
The Timing of the Two Impacts
The timing of the crashes remains one of the clearest parts of the September 11 timeline.
Flight 11 struck the North Tower at 8:46 a.m.
Flight 175 struck the South Tower at 9:03 a.m.
Only 17 minutes separated the two impacts.
That short interval had major consequences. Emergency workers were already responding to the first tower when the second aircraft arrived.
People watching television coverage saw the second crash and immediately understood that the United States was experiencing a coordinated terrorist attack.
The South Tower eventually collapsed at approximately 9:59 a.m.
The North Tower collapsed at approximately 10:28 a.m.
What Happened to the North Tower
The North Tower sustained enormous damage when Flight 11 struck its upper floors.
The aircraft carried a large amount of aviation fuel. The impact destroyed several floors and damaged structural elements throughout the area.
Fires spread across multiple floors after the crash.
People below the impact zone attempted to leave the building using stairways. Emergency personnel moved upward while civilians moved downward.
The building remained standing for roughly 102 minutes after the aircraft impact.
At 10:28 a.m., the North Tower collapsed.
The collapse destroyed large sections of the surrounding World Trade Center complex and created a vast debris field across Lower Manhattan.
What Happened to the South Tower
Flight 175 hit the South Tower at 9:03 a.m.
The aircraft entered the building at a different location from Flight 11’s impact on the North Tower.
The South Tower suffered extensive structural damage and intense fires.
Some people inside the building were able to escape after the impact. Others remained trapped.
The building collapsed at approximately 9:59 a.m., only 56 minutes after Flight 175 struck it.
The South Tower therefore fell before the North Tower, even though it was hit second.
The Ten Men on the Two Aircraft
The identities of the ten hijackers connected to the Twin Towers attacks are established.
American Airlines Flight 11
- Mohamed Atta
- Satam al-Suqami
- Waleed al-Shehri
- Wail al-Shehri
- Abdulaziz al-Omari
United Airlines Flight 175
- Marwan al-Shehhi
- Fayez Banihammad
- Ahmed al-Ghamdi
- Hamza al-Ghamdi
- Mohand al-Shehri
Five hijackers were placed on each aircraft.
The four men identified as pilots within the overall September 11 operation received flight training in the United States. Atta and al-Shehhi were the pilots who took control of the two aircraft directed into the World Trade Center.
Where the Flights Were Supposed to Go
Both planes originally had destinations on the West Coast.
Flight 11 was scheduled to fly from Boston to Los Angeles.
Flight 175 was also scheduled to fly from Boston to Los Angeles.
Their journeys changed dramatically after the hijackings.
Instead of continuing west, both aircraft were redirected toward New York City.
The choice of Boston as the departure point for both aircraft was part of the broader logistical planning behind the attacks.
The Twin Towers Were Not Hit by a Single Aircraft
A common misunderstanding is that one airplane somehow caused the destruction of both towers.
That did not happen.
Two separate aircraft were involved.
American Airlines Flight 11 hit the North Tower.
United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower.
Each aircraft had its own group of five hijackers.
The crashes occurred at different times and at different locations on the two buildings.
This distinction is important when reconstructing the events of September 11.
The Broader Four-Plane Operation
The attacks involved four hijacked commercial aircraft.
Two were flown into the World Trade Center.
American Airlines Flight 77 was flown into the Pentagon.
United Airlines Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew members attempted to overpower the hijackers.
The four aircraft were part of one coordinated terrorist operation.
Nineteen hijackers participated in the overall attack.
Fifteen of the hijackers were Saudi Arabian nationals. Two were from the United Arab Emirates. One was Egyptian, and one was Lebanese.
All 19 were associated with al-Qaeda.
How the Hijackers Were Identified
The identification of the hijackers became a central part of the massive investigation that followed September 11.
Investigators examined passenger records, immigration documents, financial activity, flight-school records, surveillance footage, communications, travel histories, and other evidence.
The FBI eventually established the identities and roles of the 19 hijackers.
The investigation also traced connections between the men and al-Qaeda’s leadership.
The evidence established that the attacks were planned in advance rather than being spontaneous acts carried out by unrelated individuals.
What the Official Record Says Today
The identities of the people who hijacked the aircraft that struck the Twin Towers are not an unresolved mystery.
The historical record identifies Mohamed Atta as the pilot associated with Flight 11 and Marwan al-Shehhi as the pilot associated with Flight 175.
It also identifies the other eight hijackers who were aboard the two aircraft.
The FBI’s investigation and records, along with extensive documentation preserved by institutions dedicated to the history of September 11, provide a detailed account of the two flights.
The basic facts have remained consistent over the years.
Flight 11 hit the North Tower.
Flight 175 hit the South Tower.
Both aircraft had departed Boston.
Both were originally scheduled to reach Los Angeles.
Both were hijacked and deliberately redirected toward Manhattan.
Why the Question Still Appears in Search Results
Searches about the Twin Towers continue to attract interest because September 11 remains one of the most significant events in American history.
People researching the attacks often want straightforward answers about which aircraft were involved, who controlled them, and how the two crashes unfolded.
The answer is especially important for distinguishing documented facts from inaccurate claims that can circulate online.
There were two aircraft, not one.
There were ten hijackers aboard those two aircraft, not 19.
The other nine hijackers were aboard the two planes involved in the attacks on the Pentagon and the Pennsylvania crash.
The identities of the men who carried out the hijackings have been documented through the extensive investigation into the attacks.
The Clear Answer
The two planes that struck the Twin Towers were American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175.
Flight 11 struck the North Tower at 8:46 a.m. Five al-Qaeda hijackers were aboard, and Mohamed Atta was the pilot who took control of the aircraft.
Flight 175 struck the South Tower at 9:03 a.m. Five hijackers were aboard, and Marwan al-Shehhi was the pilot who took control.
Both flights departed from Boston Logan International Airport and were originally bound for Los Angeles.
Their deliberate crashes marked the opening stages of the September 11 attacks in New York City. The resulting destruction of the Twin Towers killed thousands of people and permanently changed the city and the country.
The names, aircraft, times, and sequence remain established facts of the historical record.
The events of September 11 remain a subject of lasting public interest, and readers can share their thoughts or stay updated as verified information continues to be documented.