The Washington area was a main target of the September 11 , 2001 attacks . American Airlines Flight 77 was hijacked by five Islamic terrorists and flew into the Pentagon in Arlington County , Virginia , just across the Potomac River from Washington , killing 125 people inside the building , as well as 64 on board the airliner , including the five terrorists . United Airlines Flight 93 , which was also hijacked and which went down in an open field near Shanksville , Pennsylvania , supposedly intended to target either the White House or the U.S. Capitol
American Airlines Flight 77
American Airlines Flight 77
History of Washington, D.C.