Study: Second WTC Plane Travelling Faster - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

AKA · 02-23-2002, 02:24 PM

Study: Second WTC Plane Travelling Faster

NEW YORK (AP) - Researchers believe the second hijacked plane to hit the World Trade Center tower was traveling about 100 mph faster than the first, according to a published report.

Investigators are focusing on the speed of the two planes as they seek to explain what caused the south tower to collapse first, even though it was hit later, The New York Times reported Saturday.

Researchers have closely studied videos, sound recordings and radar to estimate how fast the two jetliners were moving. Studies show that both planes were traveling well over the federal limits for altitudes below 10,000 feet, The Times said.

The second plane was flying so fast that it was in danger of breaking up in the air as it approached the south tower, Boeing spokeswoman Liz Verdier told the Times.

``These guys exceeded even the emergency dive speed,'' Verdier said. ``It's off the chart.''

Two studies have analyzed the speed of the planes, one by the Federal Aviation Administration (news - web sites) in consultation with the National Transportation Safety Board (news - web sites) and the other by Eduardo Kausel, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (news - web sites).

Both found that United Airlines Flight 175, which hit the south tower at 9:02 a.m., was traveling significantly faster than American Airlines Flight 11, which hit the north tower at approximately 8:46 a.m.

The government's calculations put the speed of the first plane at 494 mph, and the second at 586 mph. The MIT analysis determined the first plane was traveling 429 mph, and the second 537 mph, The Times said.

The south tower collapsed 56 minutes after the crash. The north tower stood for 102 minutes.

Structural engineers have not determined to what extent the speed of the planes affected how long the buildings stood. They are studying many factors, including the point at which each tower was hit.

The south tower was hit between the 78th and 84th floors, while the north tower was struck between the 94th and 99th floors, meaning more weight bore down on the damaged floors in the south tower, The Times said.

Meg07945 · 02-23-2002, 02:28 PM

I wonder how they calculated the speed of the planes.

Warm & Fuzzy · 02-23-2002, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Meg07945
I wonder how they calculated the speed of the planes.

By studying videos and sounds that were projected.

Jimbo · 02-23-2002, 07:57 PM

I cannot imagine the horror that the people on those planes must have felt in those final minutes before the crash. What kind of monsters would do something like this to another human being?

Kay Scarpetta · 02-23-2002, 08:08 PM

I know if I was on one of those planes, I would have either jumped from it or found some other quick way to kill myself. [Knowing I was going to die anyways, of course] I just can't imagine what they were thinking. Heading straight into the building. It makes me cry just thinking about it.

Truth · 02-23-2002, 09:16 PM

That is interesting considering that in the video of the 1st plane hitting the tower, it looks like it hits it way harder/faster then the second plane......

02-23-2002, 02:24 PM	#1
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	Study: Second WTC Plane Travelling Faster Study: Second WTC Plane Travelling Faster NEW YORK (AP) - Researchers believe the second hijacked plane to hit the World Trade Center tower was traveling about 100 mph faster than the first, according to a published report. Investigators are focusing on the speed of the two planes as they seek to explain what caused the south tower to collapse first, even though it was hit later, The New York Times reported Saturday. Researchers have closely studied videos, sound recordings and radar to estimate how fast the two jetliners were moving. Studies show that both planes were traveling well over the federal limits for altitudes below 10,000 feet, The Times said. The second plane was flying so fast that it was in danger of breaking up in the air as it approached the south tower, Boeing spokeswoman Liz Verdier told the Times. ``These guys exceeded even the emergency dive speed,'' Verdier said. ``It's off the chart.'' Two studies have analyzed the speed of the planes, one by the Federal Aviation Administration (news - web sites) in consultation with the National Transportation Safety Board (news - web sites) and the other by Eduardo Kausel, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (news - web sites). Both found that United Airlines Flight 175, which hit the south tower at 9:02 a.m., was traveling significantly faster than American Airlines Flight 11, which hit the north tower at approximately 8:46 a.m. The government's calculations put the speed of the first plane at 494 mph, and the second at 586 mph. The MIT analysis determined the first plane was traveling 429 mph, and the second 537 mph, The Times said. The south tower collapsed 56 minutes after the crash. The north tower stood for 102 minutes. Structural engineers have not determined to what extent the speed of the planes affected how long the buildings stood. They are studying many factors, including the point at which each tower was hit. The south tower was hit between the 78th and 84th floors, while the north tower was struck between the 94th and 99th floors, meaning more weight bore down on the damaged floors in the south tower, The Times said.

02-23-2002, 02:28 PM	#2
Meg07945 Olive!!! Senior Member Join Date: Jan 16, 2001 Location: New Jersey!! The Garden State!! Posts: 1,001	I wonder how they calculated the speed of the planes.
	__________________ <center> Toodles Poodles! MEG <a href="http://www.imood.com/query.cgi?email=m.lunde@verizon.net"><img src="http://www.imood.com/query.cgi?email=m.lunde@verizon.net&type=1&fg=FFFFFF&bg=CC0000" alt="The current mood of m.lunde@verizon.net at www.imood.com" border="0"></a> ¤Friends don't let friends get mullets!¤<br>I don't do drugs; I'm high on life<br> </center>

02-23-2002, 08:08 PM	#5
Kay Scarpetta Defy Gravity 8.26.05 Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 04, 2001 Location: La Vie Boheme Posts: 28,013	I know if I was on one of those planes, I would have either jumped from it or found some other quick way to kill myself. [Knowing I was going to die anyways, of course] I just can't imagine what they were thinking. Heading straight into the building. It makes me cry just thinking about it.
	__________________ The people who think they know everything about Broadway make me laugh. They've never seen a Broadway play in their life. "oh mi godddd RENT's a mooovie! lyke 525600 minuuuuuuutes!" No. To be a Broadway Freak, you must live, eat, sleep, study, devout, think, obsess, dream, believe Broadway. You must know original & revival casts, soundtracks, performance runs, dates, theatres, numbers, how many Tony Awards A Chorus Line won. You must be Broadway. That's right bitches. I AM Broadway.

02-23-2002, 09:16 PM	#6
Truth •°·Alien Believer·°• Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 15, 2001 Posts: 3,463	That is interesting considering that in the video of the 1st plane hitting the tower, it looks like it hits it way harder/faster then the second plane......
	__________________ Justin (I am an Alien Believer ) (A Seattle Mariner Fan) (And Down with Spyware!) R.I.P John Ritter

02-23-2002, 07:57 PM	#4
Jimbo Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 29, 2001 Location: United States of America-One Nation UNDER GOD! Posts: 471	I cannot imagine the horror that the people on those planes must have felt in those final minutes before the crash. What kind of monsters would do something like this to another human being?