Chopper2 was piloted by Ed Baker, with Jim Smith reporting. Hear the names mentioned during the WCBS NY broadcast at 9:10. WCBS (channel 2) reporter Joe Biermann was also aboard, according to one source. Choppers were advised to stay 5 miles away from the WTC after the 2nd plane hit (see ABC above, also WCBS at 9:11 a.m.). Still this is one of the best views of the event.
On LIVE TV the Washington D.C. CBS affiliate (as seen in the 9/11 TV archive at archive.org) was concentrating on the attack on the Pentagon (as was BBC World). The South Tower disappeared off camera. Also, the national CBS network coverage missed the event, but while replaying the 2nd plane impact (and a minute earlier, a secondary explosion at the Pentagon). The CBS News studios’ GM Building camera view of this event is not available, as it is for WTC1 and 7. Chopper2’s footage was the first aired on CBS national news, 5 full minutes after the event. The WB11 (WPIX) network aired the Chopper2 shot LIVE (the 2nd half), as did FOX News (the first half in a small split window).
Features: Rare angle of the south side (see also Paul Berriff) highlights the simultaneous darting flame on the North Tower, where that collapse initiation would start only a half hour later. Also, the early upper South Tower west face damage Femr2 has focused on as spurious. After the main “collapse,” the smoke/dust is translucent, allowing a view of the building core crumbling straight down.
Raw NIST Cumulus file: WCBS Dub4 17
CBS2 (WCBS) Chopper2
YouTube 1 & 2
