United Airlines Flight 93

United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked on September 11, 2001; passengers attempted to retake the aircraft and it crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, preventing a likely attack on Washington, D.C.

Author: Leandro Alegsa Creation date: November 13, 2022 Last updated: May 27, 2026

Overview

United Airlines Flight 93 was a regularly scheduled transcontinental flight that became one of the four airplanes hijacked in the coordinated terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The flight departed from Newark International Airport in Newark, New Jersey bound for San Francisco International Airport. Four hijackers gained control of the cockpit shortly after takeoff and turned the aircraft toward the U.S. capital region.

Sequence of events

The following summarizes the key sequence without attempting to list every detail. Soon after the aircraft was commandeered (the hijacking), several passengers and crew used onboard and mobile phones to contact people on the ground. Those calls informed them of the other attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Learning of the wider plot, passengers organized to resist.

Flight departure from Newark.
Hijackers entered the cockpit and assumed control.
Passengers and some crew made phone calls to learn about and coordinate action.
A passenger revolt began; in response the hijackers crashed the aircraft near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Passengers' response and crash

Onboard calls made from Flight 93 conveyed to family members and authorities that passengers were attempting to wrest back control. The struggle in the cabin led the hijackers to deliberately crash the airplane in a rural field rather than allow the plane to be reclaimed. The aircraft crashed in Somerset County, about 150 miles northwest of Washington, D.C., killing all aboard. Investigators later concluded the attack was intended for a prominent target in the capital area.

Investigation and evidence

Federal agencies including the FBI and aviation accident investigators reviewed wreckage, passenger and crew phone records, and recovered flight data. Voice recordings, telephone calls, and physical evidence from the crash site were examined to reconstruct events and to determine how the passengers' actions influenced the outcome. Investigations concluded that the revolt prevented the hijackers from reaching their intended target.

Legacy, memorials, and security changes

The crash of Flight 93 had profound symbolic and practical effects. The site near Shanksville is now preserved as a national memorial honoring the passengers and crew. The events of September 11 prompted broad changes in aviation security and emergency response, including reinforced cockpit doors, revised crew and passenger procedures, and the creation of new agencies and policies intended to reduce the risk of similar attacks.

Notable facts

There were no survivors among passengers, crew, or hijackers. The actions of those aboard Flight 93 are widely cited as an example of collective resistance that altered the attackers' plans. The flight remains a focal point in discussions about civilian intervention, emergency communication aboard aircraft, and the long-term consequences of the 2001 attacks.

Questions and Answers

Q: What was the flight number of United Airlines Flight 93?

A: United Airlines Flight 93.

Q: Where did the flight originate from?

A: The flight originated from Newark International Airport (later renamed Newark Liberty International Airport), in Newark, New Jersey, USA.

Q: Who hijacked the plane?

A: The aircraft was hijacked by four men as part of an al-Qaeda organized attack on the United States on September 11, 2001.

Q: Where were the hijackers taking the plane?

A: The hijackers were taking the plane toward Washington, D.C.

Q: How did passengers and crew members learn about other terrorist attacks that day?

A: Several passengers and crew members made telephone calls aboard the flight and learned about the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

Q: What action did passengers take to prevent further destruction? A: The passengers decided to attack the hijackers and retake control of aircraft in order to prevent them from reaching Washington, D.C.

Q: Where did they crash the plane?

A: The hijackers crashed the plane in a field just outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania, about 150 miles (240 km) northwest of Washington, D.C., killing all crew members and passengers onboard.