The September 11 attacks are the most widely recognized terrorist attacks in recent times involving air travel . On the morning of September 11 , 2001 , 19 members of the Islamic terrorist group Al-Qaeda took control of four airplanes on the east coast of the United States and deliberately crashed two into both World Trade Center towers in New York City and the third into the Pentagon in Arlington County , Virginia . A fourth plane crashed into a field near Shanksville , Pennsylvania , not reaching Washington , D.C. , for its intended target , either the U.S. Capitol or the White House . The attacks resulted in the deaths of 2,996 people , including the 245 civilians , a law enforcement officer , and the 19 hijackers on board the four airplanes
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Airport security