9/11 probe uncovers terrifying last moments of hijacked flight

NEW details of how passengers desperately fought back against hijackers who took control of their aircraft on September 11, 2001, have emerged from the US congressional commission probe into the attacks.

Some passengers on United Airlines Flight 93 learned the twin towers of New York’s World Trade Center had already been hit when they called relatives from the doomed aircraft on their mobile phones.

As the passengers fought to get into the cockpit, the hijacker at the controls pitched and rolled the aircraft to try and throw them off balance, while another blocked the door.

The new evidence, published in the September 11 Commission’s report on Thursday, suggests that the hijackers deliberately crashed the plane in a Pennsylvania field when they were about to be overwhelmed by passengers.

It is believed the hijackers were headed to Washington DC - the most likely targets being the White House or the Capitol Building.

Moments before the aircraft was seized by terrorists, United Airlines pilot, Captain Jason Dahl, received a message from Ed Ballinger, the Chicago dispatcher, on his computer screen.

“Beware any cockpit intrusion - two a/c (aircraft) crashed into World Trade Center,” said the message, received at 9.24am. Capt Dahl replied: “Ed, confirm latest mssg plz - Jason.”

Two minutes later, the cockpit was stormed and the plane, bound from Newark to San Francisco, was turned around by the attackers. Later, passengers said during phone calls to loved ones that they saw two bodies outside the cockpit, injured or dead, probably the pilots.

At 9.57am, seven minutes before the flight came down, one passenger ended her phone conversation by saying: “Everyone’s running up to first class. I’ve got to go. Bye.” It is thought the passengers may have used a trolley as a battering ram to break down the cockpit door.

The voice recorder picked up the sound of a passenger yelling: “In the cockpit. If we don’t we’ll die.”

Just after 10am, the hijackers appeared resigned to being overwhelmed by the passengers.

Ziad Jarrah, who was at the controls, is heard on the voice recorder saying: “Is that it? Shall we finish it off?” Another responds: “No. Not yet. When they all come, we finish it off.”

Later, a hijacker is heard to say: “Pull it down. Pull it down.” A cry of “Allah is Great” rang out as the aircraft hit the ground.