9:45 a.m. September 11, 2001: Flight 93 Hijacker Asks for the ‘Pilot’ to Be Brought Back into the Cockpit

A hijacker in the cockpit of Flight 93 asks another hijacker if they should “let the guys in” and that hijacker then suggests that they “bring the pilot back.” The cockpit voice recording from Flight 93 will later reveal that, speaking in Arabic, one of the hijackers says: “How about we let them in? We let the guys in now.” He then repeats his question, asking, “Should we let the guys in?” He is apparently suggesting that they allow the other hijackers on Flight 93 into the cockpit. The other hijacker in the cockpit replies, “Inform them and tell him to talk to the pilot.” He then says, “Bring the pilot back.” Journalist and author Tom McMillan will comment that this reference to the pilot “underscored the notion that [Ziad Jarrah, the hijacker believed to be at the controls of Flight 93] was overmatched by the Boeing 757” and is also “apparent confirmation that at least one of the United pilots—either Captain [Jason] Dahl or First Officer [LeRoy] Homer—was still alive, and likely in the first-class cabin.” [Federal Bureau of Investigation, 12/4/2003; McMillan, 2014, pp. 96] However, at around this time, passenger Todd Beamer reports in a call from Flight 93 that the plane’s captain and first officer are lying on the floor of the first-class cabin, and are injured or possibly dead (see 9:45 a.m.-9:58 a.m. September 11, 2001). [Longman, 2002, pp. 199; 9/11 Commission, 8/26/2004, pp. 43] Indeed, McMillan will note that “[n]o one ever was brought to the cockpit to assist with the aircraft’s operation and the hijackers never mentioned ‘the pilot’ again” on the cockpit voice recording. One of the hijackers in the cockpit, still speaking in Arabic, then whispers: “In the name of Allah. In the name of Allah. I bear witness that there is no other God but Allah.” Less than 30 seconds later, at 9:46 a.m., the cockpit voice recorder will pick up the sound of two knocks on the cockpit door followed by the sound of the door opening. A couple of minutes after that, the recorder will pick up the sound of “distinctive knocks” on the cockpit door, again followed by the sound of the door opening. What exactly is happening on these occasions is unknown. [Federal Bureau of Investigation, 12/4/2003; McMillan, 2014, pp. 96]