Flight 93 Glossary

Flight 93 Story Terms

Click the dropdown boxes below to explore and learn about terms that relate to the story of Flight 93.

Located on the seatbacks in the last nine rows of the plane, these devices allowed passengers and crew members onboard to make phone calls using credit card payment information. During the hijacking of Flight 93, thirteen passengers and crew members made 37 calls. 35 of the 37 calls were made via Airfone. Records revealed the time of each call, Airfone caller's name, the number or numbers dialed, the duration of the call, and the row from which the call was placed.

Translated as "Register of the Base", al Qaeda is a worldwide terrorist network founded in the late 1980's by Osama bin Laden, who operated terrorist training camps in Afghanistan.

American Airlines Flight 11 was a commercial aircraft traveling from Boston, Massuchusetts to Los Angeles, California. On the morning of September 11, 2001, five terrorists hijacked the flight and deliberately crashed the plane into the North Tower of the World Trade Center Complex at 8:46 am, killing all onboard. 

American Airlines Flight 77 was a commercial aircraft traveling from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles, California. On the morning of September 11, 2001, five terrorists hijacked the flight and deliberately crashed the plane into the Pentagon in Washington D.C. at 9:37 am, killing all onboard. 

A device that receives telephone calls and recorded messages. Three passengers aboard Flight 93 left messages for their loved ones on answering machines after being unable to reach them via telephone.

The term "black box" orginated prior to World War ll and was common for most electronic and navigation sets for military aircraft. Most radio sets were painted black. Since that time "black box" has become common for avaiation electronics and has been used in commerical aircraft since 1961 despite being painted orange. 

United Airlines Flight 93 was a Boeing 757-200 model which was a commercial aircraft manufactured by Boeing. The plane had a capacity of 182 passengers, with 24 passengers in First Class and 158 in coach. This model of aircraft was in production and used by airliners for 23 years and was last flown in 2005.

The term "coach" refers to the seating zone located near the middle and back of aircraft, also commonly known as "economy". This section is less expensive than First Class, and offers more seating. On Flight 93, there were 158 seats in coach, with three seats located on each side of the middle aisle. 

An enclosed space at the front of the aircraft where the pilots control the aircraft.

The Co-Pilot acts as the second in command under the Captain. The Captain of Flight 93 was Jason Dahl, and the Co-Pilot/First Officer was LeRoy Homer.

The coroner is a selected individual who is responsible for making inquiries into deaths and completes the certificate of death, which includes assigning a cause and manner of death.

A crater is a hole in a surface that can be caused by impact. When local residents and first responders first arrived at the crash site they described the impact crater from Flight 93 being approxminately 15 feet deep and 30 feet wide. Much of the wreckage was found in and around the crater. 

The debris field is where most of the wreckage of Flight 93 was found, as it compesses the nearby field closest to the impact site of the crash. The debris that was found varied in size from pieces of twisted of metal to lightweight paper items. 

A dragline is a type of excavator commonly used in surface mining. The excavator has a large bucket attached and is pulled with a heavy wire cable, and resembles the appearance of a crane.

The Federal Aviation Agency known as the FAA, is responsible for the safety of civil aviation. This includes operating a network of airport towers, air route traffic control centers, and flight service stations. The FAA is also develops air traffic rules, assigns the use of airspace and controls air traffic. 

A first responder refers to someone who is trained to respond to emergency situations. After Flight 93 crashed, many local first responders were among the first to arrive.

A flight attendant is an employee of an airline who is responsible for making passengers safe, secure and comfortable while aboard the aircraft. On Flight 93, there were 5 flight attendants; Lorraine Bay, Sandy Bradshaw, Wanda Green, CeeCee Lyles, and Deborah Welsh.

The Hemlock Grove lies just south of the impact site. When the plane crashed in the field adjacent to the woods, the trees on the outer edge of the dense grove were burned. About 100 damaged trees had to be removed following the crash. Plane debris, personal effects, and human remains were recovered within the Hemlock grove.

According to the FAA, the term "Mayday" is used when a pilot encounters distress or an emergency while flying and is usually repeated three times over the radio.

The National Transportation Safety Board, commonly referred to as the NTSB, investigates every civil aviation accident in the U.S. and significant accidents in other modes of transportation. Based on their investigative findings and special studies, the board makes recommendations aimed at preventing future accidents. 

The Pentagon is one of largest office buildings in the world, measuring at over 6 million square feet. Inside this massive building is the headquarters for the Department of Defense. On September 11, 2001, a hijacked plane struck the building, killing 189 people as part of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Approximately one-third of the building was damaged as a result. 

A pilot is a trained professional who is responsible for operating and controlling the aircraft. Captain Jason Dahl was the pilot for Flight 93 on the morning of September 11th along with First Officer LeRoy Homer who assisted him the cockpit.

Tributes are something volunintarily given as a sign of showing respect or gratitude. For example, visitors are welcome to leave tributes in honor of the Crew and Passengers of Flight 93 at the memorial.

The Twin Towers were the centerpiece of the World Trade Center Complex in New York City. These two buildings were the tallest buildings in New York City at 110 stories each, and housed 35,000 people and 430 companies in nearly 10 million square feet of office space. They were destroyed when two hijacked commerical planes were flown into them on September 11, 2001, killing thousands, resulting in the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil. 

United Airlines Flight 175 was a commercial aircraft traveling from Boston, Massuchusetts to Los Angeles, California. On the morning of September 11, 2001, five terrorists hijacked the flight and deliberately crashed the plane into the South Tower of the World Trade Center Complex at 9:03 am, killing all onboard. 

The World Trade Center was a large commerical complex in lower Manhattan, consisting of seven buildings, including a large plaza, and an underground shopping mall that connected six of the buildings. At the center of the complex were the Twin Towers. On September 11, 2001, the entire complex was destroyed in 9/11 terrorist attack. 

Last updated: July 26, 2023

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