Fact check: Did planes actually hit the towers?

1. Summary of the results

The analyses provided overwhelmingly support the claim that planes did indeed hit the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001. Multiple sources confirm the impact of planes, including ^[1], which explicitly states that "suicide attackers seized US passenger jets and crashed them into two New York skyscrapers, killing thousands of people" ^[1]. Similarly, ^[2] describes the fact that "two planes hit the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center" ^[2], and ^[3] notes that the accepted account, supported by the 9/11 Commission Report and NIST investigations, confirms that commercial passenger jets were flown into the Twin Towers, causing their collapse ^[3]. Eyewitness accounts also corroborate this claim, with sources like ^[4] describing the "loudest bang I ever heard" and seeing "what appeared to be the outline of a plane right through the side of the building" when looking at Tower One ^[4]. Other sources, such as ^[5] and ^[6], provide testimonies from journalists, responders, and survivors that also support the claim that planes hit the towers ^{[5] [6]}.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Some sources, like ^[7], do not directly address the question of whether planes actually hit the towers, but still imply that planes did indeed hit the towers by mentioning that "planes crashed in New York and Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001" ^[7]. Alternative viewpoints, such as conspiracy theories, are rejected by multiple sources, including ^[3], which notes that the 9/11 Commission Report and NIST investigations confirm that commercial passenger jets were flown into the Twin Towers ^[3], and ^[8], which states that government investigations and expert reviews have rejected theories denying the impact ^[8]. Key context that is missing from the original statement includes the fact that the 9/11 attacks were a complex and multifaceted event, involving multiple planes, hijackers, and targets, and that the impact of the planes was just one part of the overall attack. Some possible alternative viewpoints that are not represented in the analyses include:

• The possibility of other factors contributing to the collapse of the towers
• The role of other parties or entities in the 9/11 attacks
• The impact of the 9/11 attacks on different communities and individuals

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement "Did planes actually hit the towers?" may be misleading or biased, as it implies that there is significant doubt or controversy about the fact that planes hit the towers. However, the overwhelming majority of sources confirm that planes did indeed hit the towers, and conspiracy theories denying this fact have been thoroughly debunked ^{[3] [8] [9]}. Those who benefit from this framing include conspiracy theorists and individuals who seek to sow doubt and confusion about the 9/11 attacks. On the other hand, those who benefit from a clear and accurate understanding of the 9/11 attacks include the families of the victims, first responders, and the general public, who deserve a truthful and comprehensive account of the events of that day ^{[4] [5] [6]}.