The events of September 11, 2001, were horrific enough, but could they have been even worse? “It can’t get any worse, can it?” is one question I try as hard as possible to avoid asking when going through tough times. I know from experience that the answer is always yes. And it definitely could be true in the case of 9/11, even without what’s examined in TMZ Investigates 9/11: The Fifth Plane. The special airs on FOX at 9 pm ET on Monday, March 23.
Was there supposed to be a fifth plane used in the attacks on 9/11?
As 9/11 unfolded, I was convinced there’d be more crashes. Especially after the third plane (American Airlines Flight 77) crashed into the Pentagon shortly after the first two planes (American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175) hit the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centers.
And then, of course, soon came reports of the fourth plane (United Airlines Flight 93) that dodged any other buildings or civilians, but everyone on board perished when it crashed in the field in Stonycreek Township, Pennsylvania. Later it would come out that passengers aboard were responsible for subverting yet another attack on who knows what target.
But I waited anxiously, as I’m sure many other Americans did, for news of another crash. Was the date significant at all and hold any clue for how many more planes might be used as weapons? Would there be nine more, or 11? Or was I way off base?
Sometimes I’m happy to be wrong and that was one of those times. As the minutes ticked by and turned into hours where the media just tried to make sense of the four planes that had gone down, relief that, for now, it seemed to be over, spread through me.
But TMZ makes a very compelling case that there was at least one more plane intended to be used in the 9/11 attacks: United Airlines Flight 23.
The Story of United Flight 23
The story of Flight 23 is relatively obscure compared to its fellow flights that day. However, that’s maybe about to change thanks to this TMZ special.
The 767 was set to take off from JFK Airport in New York, headed for Los Angeles. Flight 23 had taxied on the runway in preparation for takeoff, but then the airport was shut down. It taxied back to the gate without consequence.
Sort of.
TMZ reports how the flight attendants grew suspicious of four passengers in first class, and another two in business class. Apparently, one was even a man disguised as a woman, which is extremely curious and a huge red flag.
The first-class flight attendant realized all four didn’t eat meat. There were only two fruit plates. She wanted to get more so those four, plus any others who didn’t want the meat option, would have the fruit one available. But that triggered the passengers, who TMZ reports argued that they didn’t want food. They didn’t want to eat. “We want to take off … We just want to go,” they demanded.
Strange, yes. Especially back then. Not that flight attendants haven’t always had to handle unruly passengers from time to time. But it wasn’t as common or prevalent as it became in more recent history, like during the pandemic.
But those weren’t the only things that raised the suspicions of the flight attendants.
The Hatch and the Box Cutters
After Flight 23 returned to the gate, all passengers and crew got off. About 20 minutes after that, two people were spotted running through the empty plane’s cabin. When authorities went to investigate, they discovered the hatch in the cabin was open. I’m not sure if it led to the cargo area or, like the case of the Malaysian airline 370 that disappeared (years later, not on 9/11), if it led to an electronics area.
Either way, was there something stored down there, like weapons or “other incriminating evidence,” as the pilot suggests?
And what was up with the box cutters found in a seat back of a plane next to Flight 23? Were they put on the wrong plane by mistake and had originally been intended for Flight 23?
Two More Haunting Questions about the Fifth Plane
All of what we know from the trailer and the TMZ story about the 9/11: The Fifth Plane special is riddled with haunting “what ifs” as is. However, two more immediately popped to mind.
If there had been weapons aboard, why didn’t the hijackers force the plane to takeoff anyway? Or perhaps even use their chance to create damage on the runway by forcing the plane to run into others? Why abandon the mission entirely?
But even more concerning, if there had really been hijackers aboard that day, what happened to them? Did authorities identify them and arrest them, if only just for questioning? Or did they get away? Most troubling of all, are they still out there waiting and planning to try something again?
9/11: The Fifth Plane Trailer
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Where were you when you first heard about the events that unfolded on 9/11?
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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My kid was off from school that day. We were at Tuesday Morning (a store), and the electronic credit card readers wouldn’t work. The cashier explained about the twin towers, and how the tragedy affected digital communications. I left the store having a hard time breathing and trying to keep my cool for the kiddo. I was praying like crazy on the inside!
I didn’t know about the fifth plane! Thank goodness they couldn’t take off. Think how many lives were saved!
Oh man…I can’t even imagine what being out and about that day would’ve been like. I was home, my dad called to tell me to turn on the TV and then I was glued to it. I remember calling Wayne and asking if he heard. He said he had but he had to get back to work and couldn’t talk. Very nonchalantly. I remember being like, “Dude, wth? This is huge. Do you not get it?”
He didn’t. It wasn’t until he got home and glanced at the TV as he went to change out of his clothes…then he stopped dead in his tracks and sank on the couch and started to cry. That was the response I’d expected but that was the day I also found out he need to “see” for himself. Hearing about it really had no impact.
But your account astounds me because it’s from a mother’s perspective. All of the moms I knew were not with their kids when they heard about it. The kids were in school. The moms had time to formulate a response and gain their composure. Hearing about it from your perspective and experience tugged my heartstrings big time! The ways you never expect to need to be brave for your kids on full display in your comment!
RIGHT?! OMG! To think more lives could’ve been taken that day…appalling! But also a reason to be so very grateful. You’re so right, Priscilla!