US Solicitor General Theodore Olson reported that his wife Barbara called him twice on 9/11 from Flight 77. The FBI interviewed him about it that day, and this is the transcript they produced:

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Date of transcription  9/11/2001


Theodore Olson, Solicitor General, United States of America, was interviewed at his residence, [redacted]. After being advised of the identity of the interviewing agents and the nature of the interview, Olson furnished the following information.

Barbara Olson, Theodore's wife, was a passenger on American Flight # 77, departing Dulles Airport at approximately 8:10am or 8:30am this morning, bound for LAX Airport in Los Angeles, California.

At approximately 9:00am this morning, he did not look at his watch, one of the women in his office advised him of the terrorist attack at the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York. He went to his back office and turned on the television. At that time they were rerunning film of the second plane hitting the WTC.

At this time one of the women in his office told him that Barbara was on the phone. [redacted] She did not relay the call from his wife. It was someone else in the office [redacted]. He picked up the call from his wife and spoke for about one (1) minute. Barbara told him that her plane had been hijacked. She said they had knives and box cutters. He asked if they knew she was on the phone and she replied that they didn't. Barbara told him that they put the passengers in the back of the plane. She had been sitting in first class. Olson's call was then cut off.

After the first call, Olson used his direct line to the Attorney General but was unable to reach him. [rest of the paragraph redacted]

Shortly after, the same person buzzed him again and said Barbara was on the phone again. Barbara was put through to him. Barbara said the pilot had announced that the plane had been hijacked. She asked Olson what she should tell the captain to do. Olson asked her for her location. She said they were over homes and asked someone else in the plane who said they were travelling North East. Olsen [sic] told his wife that two planes had been hijacked and hit the WTC. Barbara did not seem panicked. This call was then cut off. She didn't manifest anything about a crash. [redacted]

Barbara did not say anything to describe the hijackers, but did refer to them as "they". She told him "they" had knives and box cutters. She did not make any statements about the hijackers stabbing or slashing the passengers.

Barbara Olson's cell phone number is (202) 365-5889. Olson doesn't know if the calls were made from her cell phone or the telephone on the plane. She always has her cellphone with her.

The above transcript was taken from documents released to me following an FOIA request. Download scans of the originals, and the covering letter, in this ZIP file.