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a pathway down the national memorial of Flight 93

The Capitol as a Target on 9/11


Capital Building
US Capitol - photo credit: Architect of the Capitol

What target did the hijackers have in their sites when they took over United Airlines Flight 93? While we will never know with 100% certainty, information available at this time indicates that the US Capitol was the most likely target for hijacked Flight 93. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives were in session on September 11. Thousands were at work on Capitol Hill that Tuesday morning, taking up the work of the nation. Visitors were lining up for guided tours of the Capitol. The Architect of the Capitol was preparing for an evening unveiling of plans for the new Capitol Visitor Center. First Lady Laura Bush was at the Russell Senate Office Building, adjacent to the Capitol, preparing to speak to the Senate Education Committee. When the plane crashed in Western Pennsylvania, Flight 93 was only 20 minutes flying time from the nation's capital.