One of Robertson 's main hobbies was flying and , among other aircraft , he owned several de Havilland Tiger Moths , a Messerschmitt Bf 108 , and a genuine World War II - era Mk.IX Supermarine Spitfire MK923 . His first plane ride was in a Lockheed Model 9 Orion . As a 13-year-old he would clean hangars for airplane rides . He met Paul Mantz , Art Scholl , and Charles Lindbergh while flying at local California airports . His piloting skills helped him get the part as the squadron leader in the British war film '' 633 Squadron '' . He entered balloon races , including one in 1964 from the mainland to Catalina Island that ended with him being rescued from the Pacific Ocean . In 1969 , during the civil war conflict in Nigeria , Robertson helped organize an effort to fly food and medical supplies into the area . He also organized flights of supplies to the ravaged country of Ethiopia when it experienced famine in 1978 . Within the EAA , he founded the Cliff Robertson Work Experience in 1993 , which offers youths the chance to work for flight and ground school instruction . Robertson was flying a private Beechcraft Baron over New York City on the morning of September 11 , 2001 . He was directly above the World Trade Center climbing through 7,500 feet when the first Boeing 767 struck . He was instructed by air traffic control to land immediately at the nearest airport after a nationwide order to ground all civilian and commercial aircraft following the attacks
first Boeing 767
American Airlines Flight 11
Cliff Robertson