News Timeline 9/11/01

9:40am CNN chyron change to “Reports of Fire at Pentagon.”

9:41am AP reports - Pentagon evacuated due to fire

• The Pentagon is being evacuated in expectation of a terrorist attack.
• It is believed a fire has broken out in the building.
• The White House has also been evacuated.

9:41am CBS Buchanan/Roane interrupt network coverage with reports of an explosion at the
Pentagon. “We don’t know what caused this.”
9:42am CBS Roane quotes “workers report sounds and a “rumble.”
9:42am CNN Aaron Brown interviews Chris Plant about fire and helicopter circling
9:43 AP: 'An aircraft has crashed into the Pentagon, witnesses say. The West Wing of the White House is being evacuated amid terrorist threats.'
9:43 (According to C&B) AP: 'An aircraft has crashed into the Pentagon, witnesses say. The West Wing of the White House is being evacuated amid terrorist threats.'
9:43am CBS Roane says “Associated Press is quoting witnesses as saying it was an aircraft that
crashed into the Pentagon."
9:43am CNN Aaron Brown "we’re getting reports now that the White House is being evacuated
as well,"
9:46 CBS Buchanan quoting the Associated Press: “He said it was a large airliner"...“I saw the
tail of a large airliner, it plowed into the Pentagon,” according to an Associated Press
radio reporter."
9:46am, AP reports - Reports of helicopter crashing into Pentagon

• There are reports that a helicopter has crashed into the Pentagon.
• An eyewitness said that they saw the helicopter circle the building and after it disappeared behind it, an explosion occurred.

9:46am CNN Brown "The Associated Press is reporting that a plane, it was a plane that
crashed at the Pentagon, and the Pentagon is being evacuated."
9:48am CNN Brown concludes his interview of Chris Plant

9:48 CBS Roane interviews eyewitness, Don Chauncey, who saw a white, “Gulf- Stream-type”
commuter jet strike the Pentagon.

9:50 CBS Roane interviews Dawn Vignola, (with Mr. Tim Timmerman,)
"American Airlines 757, no doubt about it."

9:52am AP reports - Terrorist threats made against the White House

• The FBI has evacuated the White House after they received what they said were "creditable threats" against the White House.
• All airports across the US have been shut down.
• Paul Begala, a Democratic consultant, said he witnessed a explosion near the Pentagon shortly after two planes crashed into World Trade Centre.
• ‘‘It was a huge fireball, a huge, orange fireball,’’ Begala said.
• He said another witness told him a helicopter exploded.
• Later a DFLP official denied responsibility for the attack.

10:04am CBS Roane says, “An Associated Press reporter says he saw the tail end of a large airliner plunge into the Pentagon building.”

10:04am CBS Roane says, “these are raw footage coming back, that’s our reporter there on the scene who will be giving us stories in just a few minutes.”


10:11am Eagle1 Park Police helicopter Medivac lands on Route 27
10:11am AP reports- Large airliner crashes into the Pentagon

• Paul Begala, a Democratic consultant, said he witnessed an explosion near the Pentagon.
• "It was a huge fireball, a huge, orange fireball," Begala said in an interview on his cell phone.
• He said another witness told him a helicopter exploded.
• AP reporter Dave Winslow also saw the crash. He said, "I saw the tail of a large airliner..... It plowed right into the Pentagon."
• Another eyewitness has said that it was a low-flying commercial airliner which crashed into the Pentagon.
• Other major government institutions, including Treasury and the State
• Department, were also evacuated.

10:13am CBS Roane talks with Frank Herzog at the Mall, who says it is empty of people and
abandoned
10:15am CBS Dave Statter says, “Ah! Oh it collapsed right now!

10:35am AP reports - Car bomb explodes at State Department

• There are reports of a car bombing at the State Department.

10:39am AP report - Pentagon collapses

• Parts of the Pentagon have collapsed after a plane crashed into it.

10:42am AP report - Car bomb explodes in Washington

• There are reports that a car bomb has exploded outside the US State Department in Washington.

10:44am AP report - Hijacked plane heading for Washington

• Another hijacked aircraft is on its way to Washington.
• The White House, US Treasury and the Capitol as well as other major buildings in Washington and Chicago have all been evacuated.

10:18am NBC news reporter, interviewing Isabel James at the Citgo gas mentions three recent loud, unexplained booms.

11:03am AP report - Car bombing outside of State Department

01:46pm CNN Bob Franken CNN interview Tim Timmerman

04:39pm FOX studio interview with Aziz ElHallan.