On 11 September 2001 , an aircraft closely resembling an E-4B was spotted and filmed orbiting the Washington , D.C. , area by news outlets and civilians , after the attack on the Pentagon . In his book '' Black Ice '' , author Dan Verton identifies this aircraft as an E-4B taking part in an operational exercise , and the exercise was canceled when the first plane struck the World Trade Center . Air traffic control recordings and radar data indicate this E-4B call sign VENUS77 became airborne just before 9:44 am , circled north of the White House during its climb , and then tracked to the south of Washington , D.C. , where it held in a holding pattern
attack on the Pentagon
American Airlines Flight 77
Boeing E-4