'' Impending Death '' is a photograph taken by freelance photographer Thomas Dallal on September 11 , 2001 . The photograph depicts the North Tower ( 1 WTC ) of the World Trade Center , on fire after being struck by American Airlines Flight 11 at 8:46 AM , and shortly before its collapse at 10:28 AM . Visible in the photograph are numerous people trapped in the upper floors of the building , hanging out of windows because of the intense smoke and heat . They were unable to escape because all of the stairwells and elevators above the 91st floor were severed by Flight 11 's impact
American Airlines Flight 11
American Airlines Flight 11
Impending Death