Posted on 07/23/2004 7:38:14 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
New York Times July 23, 2004
New Details In Battle Of Hijackers And Passengers To Control Plane
By Matthew L. Wald
WASHINGTON - In the last minutes of United Airlines Flight 93, as the passengers mounted their assault on the cockpit, the hijackers struggled to maintain control.
The man piloting the plane rolled it from side to side, trying to knock the passengers off balance. He warned another hijacker to block the cockpit door. He pitched the nose of the plane up and down violently. Finally, when it seemed as if the passengers might be seconds from overcoming the terrorists, the hijacker turned the control wheel hard to the right, rolling the plane onto its back and, the report appears to say, intentionally crashed it into a Pennsylvania field as a hijacker shouted "Allah is the greatest."
The report from the 9/11 Commission on Thursday provided new, chilling details about what happened in the cockpit of Flight 93 in its last minutes. It provides a gripping account of the battle to gain control of the aircraft by passengers who knew that terrorists had seized the plane and were determined to prevent them from using it as a missile. It also discloses that the phrase "Let's roll," previously reported as a rallying cry for those passengers, may have been misinterpreted.
At 9:24 a.m. on Sept. 11, Capt. Jason Dahl was flying over eastern Ohio when a text message flashed on his computer screen: "Beware any cockpit intrusion - two a/c [aircraft] crashed into World Trade Center." Apparently puzzled, Captain Dahl fired back a message to Ed Ballinger, the Chicago dispatcher who sent the warning: "Ed, confirm latest mssg plz - Jason."
Two minutes later, terrorists stormed his cockpit. The plane, bound from Newark, N.J., to San Francisco, was the last of the four to be hijacked that morning. Unlike the other three planes, Flight 93 continued transmitting over the radio during the struggle in the cockpit.
The captain or first officer declared "Mayday," the report said, and 35 seconds later, one of them shouted, "Hey, get out of here - get out of here - get out of here." Later, passengers in phone calls to relatives and others reported seeing two bodies outside the cockpit, injured or dead, probably the pilots.
At 9:57, about seven minutes before the end, one of the passengers ended her phone conversation saying: "Everyone's running up to first class. I've got to go. Bye."
Soon after, Ziad Jarrah, sitting at the controls, began rolling the plane to thwart the passengers. Just after 10 a.m., he is heard on the cockpit voice recorder saying: "Is that it? Shall we finish it off?"
But another hijacker responds: "No. Not yet. When they all come, we finish it off."
The voice recorder captured sounds of continued fighting, and Mr. Jarrah pitched the plane up and then down. A passenger is heard to say: "In the cockpit. If we don't we'll die!"
Then a passenger yelled, "Roll it!" While earlier accounts reported the phrase as "Let's roll," which was repeated in speeches by President Bush and became the title of a bestseller, some aviation experts have speculated that this was actually a reference to a food cart, being used as a battering ram.
Mr. Jarrah "stopped the violent maneuvers" about 10:01, according to the report.
"He then asked another hijacker in the cockpit, 'Is that it? I mean, shall we put it down?' to which the other replied, 'Yes.' '' Eighty seconds later, a hijacker is heard to say: "Pull it down! Pull it down!"
Soon after, the plane plunged into a field in Shanksville, Pa., about 20 minutes flying time from Washington.
I very much do not want to speak unkindly of the dead. But, I very much want to know the truth. I don't want to elevate events beyond what occured.
I was quite frustrated months after the crash and there was debate on Let's Roll, and that they were going to TM it and folks in college and in all other areas that term was used would no longer be allowed unless they received permission from the Beamer Foundation. I heard and used this term long before 9/11 and usually it was at sporting events or when out with friends.
There were wonderful attorneys that would handle it for free to give this as a memorial to Todd Beamer. OK, if that is what folks want, then fine. But, something did not sit well with me. I would hear only a few more times until the final findings how he and several others brought this plane down and saved perhaps the White House or the Capital. If that were the events of that day by these passengers I would be greatful.
Yet, facts did not always support that. It seemed the truth was with the family member who was being interviewed as to who was the one who lead the revolt, the downing of the plane, the unsuccessful end to some hideous foreigners who only wanted to kill.
I saw an interview with one of the same family members who again said the commission got it wrong. She knows what happened and in the end even those good people in Washington got it wrong.
Frankly, I was not on the plane. Family members were given an opportunity to hear the tapes a while back. There were some limited transcripts that were in conflict from what they felt their loved ones did on that horrific day.
I appreciate that I have this opportunity to share my frustrations. I would like to at least know as much of the facts as we will ever be able to know of the events of that tragic day. Does it make a difference, it does for me because I just want the truth. I am sorry for those that lost their lives. I certainly know that if the facts do not support what they believe then it will be very difficult. I do not doubt for one moment that many of the passengers were honorable and heroic let me be clear on that.
I certainly would like to read other point of views. All those who lost loved ones are in my prayers. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to have this report come out and have to relive this tragic day.
If President Bush quoted a heroic passenger who said, "Let's roll!" then somebody is going to say it wasn't true
starting with you
Meaning you're a troll
And so let's roll.
Sorry, I jumped the gun.
Too sensitive to trolls having fun.
There is no need to change what Americans remember from that day.
This self-destructive "I want to know the Truth" sounds preppie-nice but think what you are really doing to yourself.
You cannot believe that there can be brave Americans willing to lay down their lives to save others. This is something that our public school teachers have been drilling into the young-skulls-full-of-mush and the media into the zombie-minded tv viewers for 30 years now that ONLY the govt can help - you can do nothing.
"I want to know the truth" reveals the extent that the left has succeeded in brainwashing the minds of Americans.
You MUST destroy the heroes that are Americans. There cannot be good or brave Americans - otherwise, you might think that Americans are better than the rest of the world.
No?
I do have compassion but I want the truth.
It's my guess that there were a handful of intrepid heroes on that plane and a much larger number of perfect victims all hammered by the murderers.
I wonder how much it really matters exactly what was said and in what sequence. The doers are all dead so are beyond caring. I guess I will spend my remaining years being thankful I wasn't one of those so tested and hoping I never need to experience it. I will also marvel that there are some folks that will knowingly throw their bodies into harm's way for a greater good and understand all the while exactly what they are doing. There were some such on that airplane no matter how they accomplished their ends exactly.
What was it the great Philosopher once said: Greater love...
Wasn't the "Let's roll" phrase originally reported as being uttered during a cell phone conversation (rather than on the cockpit voice recorder)?
If so, aren't we considering two entirely different phrases, most likely uttered by two different passengers?
Downward spiral...?
NYT is SO pathetic - anyone with the slightest common sense can figure this out - Beamer's oft quoted "Let's Roll" came at the end of a cell phone conversation, before the passengers stormed the cockpit area, obviously in the context of talking to some other passengers about heading up toward the cockpit - the newly reported shout of "Roll it" in the final seconds before the crash was clearly something entirely different . . . only a real Clymer could be so lame as to try to spin the new info to refute the old quote . . . morons with an agenda at the NYT . . . infuriating . . .
"Let's roll" was said on the phone at the attempt to retake the plane.
"Roll it" was heard long into the fight to retake the plane. It seems the last two terrorists were locked in the cockpit and the passengers were trying to smash the door with a cart.
Both terms are correct.
Thank you for that clarification. Some who were interviewed gave different recollections. That is what bothered me at the onset. Now with the report, there is clarification but I suppose it really does not matter we will never know the "truth"?
Yes, the "Let's Roll" was, as I recall, overheard by Mrs. Beamer at or near the end of her conversation by cell phone with her husband.
"Roll it" could have been said for any number of other reasons by someone near the cockpit.
Oh, and by the way, I'm still waiting for the transcript of the flight recorder where someone says "Let us roll", as reported at the time by #1 loser Peter Jennings . . .
starting with you
Meaning you're a troll
And so let's roll.
Alright. I did not say anything about President Bush. I do recall that he had Mrs Beamer at the State of the Union, and I had no difficulties.
I have seen the term troll used on FR. I have not chosen to say that to another, but, if that is what you think of me, then I wont be able to change your mind.
Correct. Guess Jason Blair is back at the NYT.
Todd Beamer, who, after telling a GTE operator of their plans over his cell phone, signed off with, "Are you guys ready? Let's roll."
http://www.snopes.com/rumors/beamer.htm
Except for a slightly different phrase this report only reinforces the heroism of the passengers. Anyway, this is based on a cockpit recorder. IIRC, Todd Beamer's "Let's Roll" was heard over a cell phone.
The gizmo would include an override and a parallel, backup override, either of which accepts a password known only to the two pilots and one stewardess for that flight. There would also be a ground-issued override command available.
Anytime either the pilot or co-pilot seat becomes empty for three seconds, the gizmo resets and the password must be entered, whether or not somebody occupies the seat(s) again.
What I am doing to myself, is to at least in some fashion know the facts of that day. I don't want the spin. I have read quite a bit from the report and it is actually more informative then I thought it would be. I figured it would be full of spin and pointing fingers. I can still be shocked I suppose.
I do value life. I think my husband is a hero. I lived each day last year while he was in Iraq with the knowledge that he raised his hand and took an oath to not only protect me but you as well and our country. Each of his fellow soldiers were in my thoughts daily. When one died, and the rear detachment was a bit rusty on the procedure there were some frightening moments as to who was murdered by one of those insurgent scums.
Anyway, it was something that had been on my mind, and I suppose I should have just not said a word.
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