As a historian and expert in the field of modern American history, I have extensively studied the events of September 11, 2001, and the tragic impact they had on the United States and the world. The attacks were a series of coordinated terrorist acts carried out by the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda against the United States, resulting in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people.

On that fateful day, four commercial passenger flights were hijacked by 19 terrorists. Two of these planes were flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. The first plane, American Airlines Flight 11, struck the North Tower at 8:46 a.m. local time. This was a Boeing 767 that had departed from Boston's Logan International Airport and was en route to Los Angeles.

The second plane, United Airlines Flight 175, which was also a Boeing 767, had taken off from the same airport and was headed to Los Angeles as well. It is this plane that we are focusing on in your question. The second plane hit the South Tower of the World Trade Center at 9:03 a.m. local time. This was a mere 17 minutes after the first plane had struck the North Tower.

The quick succession of these two impacts was a shock to the nation and the world. The South Tower, which was hit by the second plane, collapsed at 9:59 a.m., after burning for approximately 56 minutes. Following this, the North Tower, which had been burning for 102 minutes, collapsed at 10:28 a.m.

The response to these attacks was immediate and involved numerous agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), and local emergency services such as the New York City Fire Department (FDNY). The FDNY commanders, upon the collapse of the South Tower, issued orders for firefighters in the North Tower to evacuate. This was a critical decision made in the face of an unprecedented disaster.

The aftermath of the attacks was profound, leading to significant changes in U.S. foreign and domestic policy, as well as the creation of new agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security. It also led to a reevaluation of national security and the implementation of numerous measures aimed at preventing similar attacks in the future.

In conclusion, the second plane's impact on the South Tower was a pivotal moment in the sequence of events on September 11, 2001. The 17-minute interval between the two plane strikes was a period of intense confusion, fear, and rapid response efforts. The timeline of these events is crucial for understanding the scale and speed at which the situation unfolded, and it serves as a stark reminder of the tragic loss of life and the bravery of those who responded to the crisis.

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The North Tower collapsed at 10:28 am, after burning for 102 minutes. After the South Tower collapsed, FDNY commanders issued orders for firefighters in the North Tower to evacuate.read more >>