The Command Center, some FAA field facilities, and American Airlines started to search for American 77. They feared it had been hijacked.
The Command Center advised the Dulles terminal control facility, which urged its controllers to search for the craft. The military's NORAD (North American Air Defense Command) did not know about the search for American 77. Instead, it heard once again about a plane that no longer existed, American 11. NEADS (the Northeast Air Defense Sector) received a report from the FAA around 9:21:
FAA: Military, Boston Center. I just had a report that American 11 is still in the air, and it's on its way towards -- heading towards Washington.
NEADS: OK. American 11 is still in the air?
FAA: Yes.
NEADS: On its way towards Washington?
FAA: That was another -- it was evidently another aircraft that hit the tower.
That's the latest report we have.
NEADS: OK.
FAA: I'm going to try to confirm an ID for you, but I would assume he's somewhere over, uh, either New Jersey or somewhere further south.
NEADS: OK. So American 11 isn't the hijack at all then, right?
FAA: No, he is a hijack.
NEADS: He -- American 11 is a hijack?
FAA:Yes.
NEADS: And he's heading into Washington?
FAA: Yes. This could be a third aircraft.
The mention of a "third aircraft" was not a reference to American 77. There was confusion at that moment in the FAA. Two planes had struck the World Trade Center, and Boston Center had heard from FAA headquarters in Washington that American 11 was still airborne.
The NEADS technician who took this call from the FAA immediately passed the word to the Mission Crew Commander. He reported to the NEADS Battle Commander:
Mission Crew Commander, NEADS: OK, uh, American Airlines is still airborne. Eleven, the first guy, he’s heading towards Washington. OK? I think we need to scramble Langley right now. And I'm gonna take the fighters from Otis, try to chase this guy down if I can find him.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1962742The original caption for this said "9:21-9:23 a.m. - NEADS Mission Crew Commander Discusses Scrambling Military Fighters". Converted from .rm format for easier playback here. Found at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1962742
<mp3>NEADS scramble re phantom AA11.mp3|download</mp3>
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| current | 13:32, 13 September 2007 | (305 KB) | Mike (Talk | contribs) | <div class="boilerplate metadata" id="" style="{{divstyleamber}}"><center><b></b></center>The Command Center, some FAA field facilities, and American Airlines started to search for American 77. They feared it had been hijacked. The Command Center advised |
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