Unlike American Airlines Flight 11 , which crashed into the North tower 17 minutes earlier , Flight 175 was seen live on television because of the media attention drawn to the scene from the crash of Flight 11 . The Flight 175 hijacking was coordinated with that of American Airlines Flight 11 , which had struck the top of the North Tower 17 minutes earlier . The crash of Flight 175 into the South Tower was the only impact seen live on television around the world as it happened .