Flight 11 Pushes Back from Gate; Reports Conflict over Which Gate It Leaves From

[Archangel]

American Airlines Flight 11 pushes back from the gate at Boston's Logan Airport. (9/11 Commission 7/24/2004, pp. 2)

There are discrepancies over which gate it leaves from. Most early reports state that it pushes out from Gate 26 in Terminal B of the airport. (Howe and Brelis 9/12/2001; Lawrence, Warmbir, and Sweeney 9/13/2001; Alderson et al. 9/16/2001; Maraniss 9/16/2001; Bernstein 2002, pp. 179; Der Spiegel 2002, pp. 36)

However, one unnamed Logan Airport employee will say it leaves from Gate 32, also in Terminal B. (Kurkjian and Lewis 9/11/2001) The transcript of radio communications with the flight confirms it left from Gate 32, and the 9/11 Commission also later states this. (New York Times 10/16/2001; 9/11 Commission 7/24/2004, pp. 451)

The reason for the discrepancy in these reports is unclear. Flight 11, a Boeing 767 with a capacity of 158 passengers, is about half full on this day, with 81 passengers on board (including the five hijackers), along with the two pilots and nine flight attendants. (9/11 Commission 8/26/2004, pp. 6)

It will take off at 7:59 (see (7:59 a.m.) September 11, 2001). (9/11 Commission 7/24/2004, pp. 4)