The End of Ignorance, Part 5 of 10

Confusion continues to reign as the nation's air traffic controllers attempt to determine the status of thousands of planes still in the air. Conflicting reports, erroneous radar readings, and miscommunication continue to plague the effort. The nation, and the entire world, sit glued to their t.v.'s or computer screens as the events unfold. Smoke continues to pour out of the WTC towers, frightening and disturbing, but not nearly as terrible as the inexorable doom that awaits them. Reports start to come in about an event at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. At 9:37, American Airlines Flight 77 slammed into the side of the Pentagon, killing the 64 passengers instantly. It becomes quickly apparent that this was yet another airliner attack, and the Capitol and White House are evacuated. The FAA grounds all flights, no commercial flight is allowed to continue and must divert to the nearest airport immediately. All inbound international flights are diverted to Canada, which also closes it's commercial airspace. It is now 9:45 AM EST, Tuesday, September the 11th, 2001.