Delta Air Lines Flight 1989
Encyclopedia
Delta Air Lines Flight 1989 was a regularly scheduled flight offering nonstop morning service from Logan International Airport
to Los Angeles International Airport
on a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. On September 11, 2001, this flight was one of several flights considered by the U.S. Government
as possibly hijacked. The flight had not been compromised, and soon landed safely in Cleveland, Ohio.
s realized that both of the aircraft that had struck the World Trade Center
were Boeing 767
s departing Logan Airport for Los Angeles and that Delta 1989 fit the same profile as other hijacked flights. When Delta 1989 failed to acknowledge Boston Center's communications, it was declared a suspected hijacking. Boston Center staff notified the FAA about their suspicions at 9:19 AM Eastern Daylight Time when the FAA’s New England regional office contacted the Herndon Command Center and asked Herndon to relay a request that Cleveland Center notify Delta 1989 to increase cockpit security. Herndon then ordered controllers to send a cockpit warning to Delta 1989. Boston was tracking Delta 1989 and not receiving any radio contact from the aircraft. In fact, Delta 1989 was in Cleveland airspace and in contact with Cleveland Area Control Center
.
The FAA had read Delta 1989 to be in Cleveland airspace and ordered Cleveland Center to watch for Delta 1989 as a suspected hijacking. A Cleveland controller thought he heard "Get out of here" and "We have a bomb on board" coming from Delta 1989. The Delta pilot denied any cockpit intrusion and stated that everyone on board was fine. It was later confirmed that the transmission had come from United Flight 93 which was in the same vicinity as Delta 1989. The NORAD Northeast Air Defense Sector (NEADS) became aware of Delta 1989 right after the crash of American Airlines Flight 77
into the Pentagon when Boston Center called NEADS at 9:41 AM EDT and told NEADS of the suspicions regarding Delta 1989. At 9:42 AM EDT, the FAA ordered all aircraft in flight to land at the nearest airport. NEADS dispatched fighter aircraft from Ohio and Michigan to intercept the flight, though Delta 1989 never turned off its transponder and NEADS never lost radar contact with the aircraft. NEADS, the FAA Herndon Command Center, and Cleveland Center tracked Delta 1989 until its eventual landing.
passenger and due to confusion and lack of communication between Boston and Cleveland, Delta ordered Flight 1989 to land at Cleveland. The flight reversed course over Toledo, Ohio
and landed uneventfully in Cleveland at 9:47 AM. The Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) and city SWAT team evacuated the airport and held the aircraft at gunpoint on the tarmac for two hours, though all passengers were cleared. After an investigation by local and FBI authorities, it was concluded there was no threat aboard Delta 1989. As noted by the 9/11 Commission report, “[d]uring the course of the morning, there were multiple erroneous reports of hijacked aircraft. The report of American 11
heading south was the first; Delta 1989 was the second”.
Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...
to Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
on a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. On September 11, 2001, this flight was one of several flights considered by the U.S. Government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
as possibly hijacked. The flight had not been compromised, and soon landed safely in Cleveland, Ohio.
Suspected hijacking
The Boston Center air traffic controllerAir traffic controller
Air traffic controllers are the people who expedite and maintain a safe and orderly flow of air traffic in the global air traffic control system. The position of the air traffic controller is one that requires highly specialized skills...
s realized that both of the aircraft that had struck the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
were Boeing 767
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
s departing Logan Airport for Los Angeles and that Delta 1989 fit the same profile as other hijacked flights. When Delta 1989 failed to acknowledge Boston Center's communications, it was declared a suspected hijacking. Boston Center staff notified the FAA about their suspicions at 9:19 AM Eastern Daylight Time when the FAA’s New England regional office contacted the Herndon Command Center and asked Herndon to relay a request that Cleveland Center notify Delta 1989 to increase cockpit security. Herndon then ordered controllers to send a cockpit warning to Delta 1989. Boston was tracking Delta 1989 and not receiving any radio contact from the aircraft. In fact, Delta 1989 was in Cleveland airspace and in contact with Cleveland Area Control Center
Area Control Center
In air traffic control, an Area Control Center , also known as a Center, is a facility responsible for controlling instrument flight rules aircraft en route in a particular volume of airspace at high altitudes between airport approaches and departures...
.
The FAA had read Delta 1989 to be in Cleveland airspace and ordered Cleveland Center to watch for Delta 1989 as a suspected hijacking. A Cleveland controller thought he heard "Get out of here" and "We have a bomb on board" coming from Delta 1989. The Delta pilot denied any cockpit intrusion and stated that everyone on board was fine. It was later confirmed that the transmission had come from United Flight 93 which was in the same vicinity as Delta 1989. The NORAD Northeast Air Defense Sector (NEADS) became aware of Delta 1989 right after the crash of American Airlines Flight 77
American Airlines Flight 77
American Airlines Flight 77 was American Airlines' daily scheduled morning transcontinental flight, from Washington Dulles International Airport, in Dulles, Virginia to Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California...
into the Pentagon when Boston Center called NEADS at 9:41 AM EDT and told NEADS of the suspicions regarding Delta 1989. At 9:42 AM EDT, the FAA ordered all aircraft in flight to land at the nearest airport. NEADS dispatched fighter aircraft from Ohio and Michigan to intercept the flight, though Delta 1989 never turned off its transponder and NEADS never lost radar contact with the aircraft. NEADS, the FAA Herndon Command Center, and Cleveland Center tracked Delta 1989 until its eventual landing.
Landing
After pilots reported an unruly, Middle-EasternMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
passenger and due to confusion and lack of communication between Boston and Cleveland, Delta ordered Flight 1989 to land at Cleveland. The flight reversed course over Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
and landed uneventfully in Cleveland at 9:47 AM. The Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
(FBI) and city SWAT team evacuated the airport and held the aircraft at gunpoint on the tarmac for two hours, though all passengers were cleared. After an investigation by local and FBI authorities, it was concluded there was no threat aboard Delta 1989. As noted by the 9/11 Commission report, “[d]uring the course of the morning, there were multiple erroneous reports of hijacked aircraft. The report of American 11
American Airlines Flight 11
American Airlines Flight 11 was American Airlines' daily scheduled morning transcontinental flight from Logan International Airport, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Los Angeles International Airport, in Los Angeles, California...
heading south was the first; Delta 1989 was the second”.
Consolidated Delta 1989 timeline
All times and actions are taken from the official National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9/11 Commission) Report and Public Testimony. All times are Eastern Daylight Time on September 11, 2001.- 8:05 AM – Delta Flight 1989 departed Boston Logan International Airport bound for Los Angeles, CA;
- 9:19 AM – FAA New England regional office contacted the Herndon Command Center about their suspicion that Delta 1989 was a potential hijack target and asked Herndon to relay a request that Cleveland Center notify Delta 1989 to increase cockpit security. Herndon then ordered controllers to send a cockpit warning to Delta 1989;
- 9:28 AM – A Cleveland controller thought he heard "Get out of here" and "We have a bomb on board" coming from Delta 1989. The Delta pilot denied any cockpit intrusion and stated that everyone on board was fine. It was later confirmed that that mysterious transmission had come from United Flight 93 which was in the same vicinity as 1989;
- 9:41 AM – NORAD Northeast Air Defense Sector (NEADS) became aware of Delta 1989 right after the crash of American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon when Boston Center called NEADS and told NEADS of their suspicion regarding Delta 1989;
- 9:42 AM – FAA ordered all aircraft in flight to land at the nearest airport;
- 9:47 AM – Delta 1989 landed safely in Cleveland, Ohio.