September 11 hero: Betty Ong

Do you know, with certainty, how you would react in a time of extreme stress or crisis?

As a 22 year old woman in San Francisco, Betty had not yet decided on a career path. So, while she was figuring out what she wanted to do, she worked at the factory owned by her parents. The factory produced beef jerky. It wasn’t really her dream job, but it kept her busy at the time, and she also felt good about helping her parents in their business.

One day, Betty’s workplace suddenly became very dangerous. Some people came in to rob the family business – and they were waving guns around. Betty was out front, and one of the first employees to come in contact with the robbers. She never panicked, even as one of the men held a gun to her head. Instead, she calmly called her dad, who was in the back, and said, “Dad, we’re being robbed”. The robbers got some money and left, and no one was physically injured.

Betty’s nerves of steel would come into play again years later. She was one of the flight attendants on American Airlines flight 11, on September 11, 2001. Today you’ll hear her voice, and you’ll learn why the 9/11 Commission declared Betty a hero.

 

Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here:

https://WhatWasThatLike.com/228

 

Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai.

 

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Episode transcript (download transcript PDF):

Do you know, with certainty, how you would react in a time of extreme stress or crisis?

 

As a 22 year old woman in San Francisco, Betty had not yet decided on a career path. So, while she was figuring out what she wanted to do, she worked at the factory owned by her parents. The factory produced beef jerky. It wasn’t really her dream job, but it kept her busy at the time, and she also felt good about helping her parents in their business.

 

One day, Betty’s workplace suddenly became very dangerous. Some people came in to rob the family business – and they were waving guns around. Betty was out front, and one of the first employees to come in contact with the robbers. She never panicked, even as one of the men held a gun to her head. Instead, she calmly called her dad, who was in the back, and said, “Dad, we’re being robbed”. The robbers got some money and left, and no one was physically injured.

 

Betty’s nerves of steel would come into play again years later. She was one of the flight attendants on American Airlines flight 11, on September 11, 2001. Today you’ll hear her voice, and you’ll learn why the 9/11 Commission declared Betty a hero.

 

 

Scott

Betty Ong was born in San Francisco, California on February 5th, 1956. Her parents were Chinese and she grew up in the Chinatown area with one brother and two sisters. She graduated from George Washington High School. Betty was a beautiful young woman and was actually approached about considering a career in modeling. However, her parents, particularly her mother, did not approve of that option. That’s why, for a while, she was working in the family business. When she was around 25, she started working with Pacific Southwest Airlines in the baggage claim department. Later, she joined Delta Airlines as a ticket agent in 1987. At age 31, she became a flight attendant with American Airlines.

 

Oh, and that incident where she remained calm in the face of an armed robbery? That wasn’t the only time. She stayed cool in a stressful situation. There was a time she was driving on US Highway 1 0 1 in San Francisco and she witnessed a serious accident. A car was hit by a speeding pickup truck causing that car to go out of control and roll over twice. Other people witnessed the accident, but Betty was the one to stop. She ran over to the crashed car to see what she could do to help. When she got to the car, she was able to communicate with the driver, a woman named Jo Ellen Chew. By strange coincidence, Betty and Jo Ellen realized that they had actually already met about a month before at a bowling alley. Betty stayed with Jo Ellen until first responders arrived. Jo Ellen later described Betty as having courage, kindness, and compassion for wanting to help, and that’s just who Betty Ong was.

 

The airplane for American Airlines Flight 11 was a Boeing 767 and had been in service for 14 years. This plane was able to accommodate 158 passengers, but on September 11, it was only carrying 81 passengers and 11 crew members. Betty had specifically chosen to assign herself as a flight attendant on this flight because it was going to Los Angeles. Her plan was to get there and go on vacation to Hawaii with her sister. There was one person who had a ticket for Flight 11, but showed up at the airport too late and missed it. That was Seth McFarland, creator of the TV show, Family Guy.

 

By 7:40 AM, the passengers were all on the plane, including the five men who were planning the hijacking. Three of them were in business class and two were in first class. At 7:59 AM, the pilots maneuvered the aircraft to begin takeoff from runway 4R. The hijacking began around 15 minutes after takeoff. The Boston Air Route Traffic Control Center made multiple attempts to contact the aircraft.

 

Pilot

Boston Center, good morning. American 11 with you. Passing through one niner zero for two three zero.

 

Boston Center

American 11, Boston Center. Roger. Maintain at level two eight zero. American 11 turned 20 degrees right. American 11, climb, maintain flight level three five zero.

 

(Silence)

 

American 11, climb, maintain flight level three five zero.

 

(Silence)

 

American 11 Boston,

 

(Silence)

 

(Inaudible) Mike Lima. How do you hear?

 

Mike Lima

Mike Lima hears you loud and clear.

 

Boston Center

American 11, Boston.

 

(Silence)

 

American 11, Boston. American on the frequency, how do you hear me?

 

Athens Center

This is Athens.

 

Boston Center

This is Boston. I turned American 20 left and I was going to climb him. He will not respond to me now at all.

 

Athens Center

Looks like he’s turning right.

 

Boston Center

Yeah. I turned him 20 right. And he’s only going to, I think, 29.

 

Athens Center

Okay, well, that’s fine.

 

Boston Center

But I’m not talking to him.

Athens Center
He’s NORDO, roger.

 

Boston Center

Alright, thanks

 

Boston Center

Mike Lima, descend at pilot’s discretion and maintain flight level two four zero.

 

Mike Lima

Two four zero will begin now.

 

Boston Center

American 11, Boston. American 11, if you hear Boston Center, ident.

 

(Silence)

 

American 11, if you hear Boston Center, ident please or acknowledge.

 

(Silence)

 

American 11. If you hear Boston Center, recontact Boston Center on one two seven point eight two. That’s American 11. One two seven eight two.

 

Scott

By this time, the hijackers had stabbed two flight attendants and slashed the throat of one of the passengers who tried to fight them. How the terrorists gained access to the cockpit is not completely known. FAA rules at the time required that the doors to the cockpit remained closed and locked throughout the flight. The 9/11 commission report suggested that they may have attacked the flight attendants in order to secure a key and open the cockpit door. There was also some mention that pepper spray had been sprayed in the main cabin in order to further incapacitate the passengers. Whatever happened, the hijackers were able to enter the cockpit and either kill or incapacitate the pilots. All five hijackers barricaded themselves inside the cockpit and now had control of the aircraft

 

At 8.24 AM, Boston Air Traffic controllers finally heard radio communications from Flight 11, but it was not what they wanted to hear. The voice coming over the radio was one of the hijackers. He was apparently trying to make an announcement to the passengers in the plane, but he mistakenly pushed the wrong switch on the mic and his voice was heard and recorded by air traffic controllers.

 

He said, “We have some planes. Just stay quiet and you’ll be okay. We are returning to the airport.” A few seconds later, he said, “Nobody move. Everything will be okay. If you try to make any moves, you’ll endanger yourself and the airplane. Just stay quiet.” This is the voice of Mohamed Atta.

 

Mohamed Atta

We have some planes. Just stay quiet and you’ll be okay. We are returning to the airport. Nobody move. Everything will be okay. If you try to make any move, you’ll endanger yourself and the airplane. Just stay quiet.”

 

Scott

Nydia Gonzalez was an American Airlines operations specialist on duty that morning in Raleigh, North Carolina. She got a call that morning from one of the crew members of Flight 11 who was reporting that the plane had been hijacked. Crew member who called her was Betty Ong. While she had Betty on the line, Nydia called the American Airlines Emergency line.

 

Craig Marquis

American Airlines Emergency line. Please state your emergency.

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Hey, this is Nydia at American Airlines calling. I am monitoring a call in Flight 11. The flight attendant is advising our reps that the pilot, everyone’s been stabbed.

 

Craig Marquis

Flight 11?

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Yeah. They can’t get into the cockpit is what I’m hearing.

 

Craig Marquis

Okay. Who is this I’m talking to?

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Excuse me. This is Nydia at American Airlines at the Raleigh Reservation Center. I’m the operation specialist on duty.

 

Craig Marquis

I’m sorry, what was your name again?

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Nidia.

 

Craig Marquis

And what’s your last name?

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Gonzalez. G-O-N-Z-A-L-E-Z,

 

Craig Marquis

Raleigh Reservations. Okay.

 

Nydia Gonzalez

I got the flight attendant on the line with one of our agents.

 

Craig Marquis

Okay. And she’s calling how?

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Through reservations. I can go in on the line and ask the flight attendant questions.

 

Craig Marquis

Okay. I’m assuming they’ve declared an emergency. Let me get ATC on the line here. Standby.

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Gotten in any contact with anybody? I’m still on with security. Okay, Betty, you’re doing a great job. Just stay calm, okay? We are, absolutely.

 

Craig Marquis

Okay. We’re contacting the flight crew now. We’re also contacting ATC.

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Okay.

 

Craig Marquis

Anything else from the flight attendant?

 

Nydia Gonzalez

So far, what I’ve gotten– the number five flight attendant’s been stabbed, but she seems to be breathing. The number one seems to be stabbed pretty badly. She’s lying down on the floor. They don’t know whether she is conscious or not. The other flight attendants are in the back. That’s as far as I know. It seems like the passengers in coach might not be aware of what’s going on right now.

 

Craig Marquis

These two passengers were from first class?

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Okay, hold on. Hey Betty, you know any information as far as the men in the cockpit with the pilots? Were they from first class? They were sitting in 2 A and B. They are in the cockpit with the pilots.

 

Craig Marquis

Who’s helping them? Is there a doctor on board?

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Is there a doctor on board that’s helping you guys? You don’t have any doctors on board? Okay. So you’ve gotten all the first-class passengers out of first class?

 

Craig Marquis

Have they taken everyone out of first class?

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Yeah, she’s just saying that they have. They’re in coach. What’s going on, honey? Okay, the aircraft is erratic again, bobbing very erratically. She did say that all the first-class passengers have to move back to coach. So first class, the cabin is empty. What’s going on your end, Craig?

 

Craig Marquis

We contacted air traffic Control. They are going to handle this as a confirmed hijacking, so they’re moving all the traffic out of this aircraft’s way.

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Okay.

 

Craig Marquis

He turned his transponder off, so we don’t have a definitive altitude for him. We are just going by– they seem to think that they have him on a primary radar. They seem to think that he is descending.

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Okay.

 

Craig Marquis

Yeah. Okay, Nydia?

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Yes, dear, I’m here.

 

Craig Marquis

Okay. I have the dispatcher currently taking the current fuel on board and we’re going to run some profiles to see exactly what his endurance is.

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Okay.

 

Craig Marquis

She doesn’t have an idea who the other passenger might be in first. Apparently, they might have sprayed something, so they’re having a hard time breathing or getting in that area. What’s going on, Betty? Betty, talk to me. Betty, are you there? Betty? Do you think you lost her?

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Okay. So we’ll stay open. I think we might have lost her.

 

Craig Marquis

Okay.

 

Scott

The phone call from Betty was around 25 minutes, but only the first four minutes were recorded. This is Betty Ong talking to Nydia about what was going on in the plane at that time.

 

Betty Ong

Number 3 in the back. The cockpit’s not answering. Somebody’s stabbed in business class and – I think there’s mace – we can’t breathe. I don’t know. I think we’re getting hijacked.

 

Operator

Which flight are you on?

 

Betty Ong

Flight 12.

 

Operator

And what seat are you in?

 

(Silence)

 

Operator

Ma’am, are you there?

 

Betty Ong

Yes.

 

Operator

What seat are you in?

 

(Silence)

 

Operator

Ma’am, what seat are you in?

 

Betty Ong

We just left Boston. We’re up in the air. We’re supposed to go to LA and the cockpit is not answering their phone.

 

Operator
Okay, but what seat are you sitting in? What’s the number of your seat?

 

Betty Ong

Okay, I’m in my jump seat right now at 3R.

 

Operator

Okay. You’re the flight attendant?

 

(Silence)

 

Operator

I’m sorry, did you say you’re the flight attendant?

 

Betty Ong

Hello?

 

Operator

Yes, hello. What is your name?

 

Betty Ong

Hi, you’re going to have to speak up. I can’t hear you.

 

Operator

Sure. What is your name?

 

Betty Ong

Okay, my name is Betty Ong. I’m number 3 on Flight 11.

 

Operator

Okay.

 

Betty Ong

And the cockpit is not answering their phone, and there’s somebody stabbed in business class, and there’s– we can’t breathe in business class. Somebody’s got maced or something.

 

Operator

Can you describe the person that you said— someone is what in business class?

 

Betty Ong

I’m sitting in the back. Somebody’s coming back from business. If you can hold on for one second, they’re coming back.

 

Operator

Certainly.

 

Betty Ong 

They want to know who’s being stabbed. You know who?

 

Unidentified flight attendant

I don’t know, but Karen and Barbara got stabbed.

 

Betty Ong

Okay. Our number 1 got stabbed. Our purser is stabbed. Nobody knows who stabbed who, and we can’t even get up to business class right now because nobody can breathe. Our number 1 is stabbed right now and our number 5 – our first class passengers – galley flight attendant and our purser has been stabbed. And we can’t get into the cockpit. The door won’t open. Hello?

 

Winston Sadler

Yeah, I’m taking it down – all the information. We’re also, of course, recording this. At this point—

 

Nydia Gonzalez

This is Operations. What flight number are we talking about?

 

Winston Sadler

Flight 12.

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Flight 12? Okay. I’m getting—

 

Betty Ong

No. We’re on Flight 11 right now. This is Flight 11.

 

Operator

It’s Flight 11. I’m sorry, Nydia.

 

Betty Ong 

Boston to Los Angeles.

 

Operator

Yes.

 

Betty Ong 

Our number one has been stabbed, and our five has been stabbed. Can anybody get up to the cockpit? Can anybody get up to the cockpit? Okay. We can’t even get into the cockpit. We don’t know who’s up there.

 

Operator

Well, if they were shrewd they would keep the door closed.

 

Betty Ong 

I’m sorry?

 

Operator

Would they not maintain a sterile cockpit?

 

Betty Ong 

I think the guys are up there. They might have gone the way up there or something. Nobody can call the cockpit. We can’t even get inside. Is anybody still there?

 

Operator

Yes, we’re still here.

 

Betty Ong 

Okay, I’m staying on the line as well.

 

Operator

Okay.

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Hi, who is calling Reservations? Is this one of the flight attendants? Or, who are you, hon?

 

Operator

She gave her name as Betty Ong.

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Betty.

 

Betty Ong 

Yeah, I’m number three. I’m number three on this flight.

 

Nydia Gonzalez

You are number three on the flight?

 

Betty Ong 

Yes.

 

Nydia Gonzalez

And this is Flight 11? From where to where?

 

Betty Ong 

Flight 11.

 

Nydia Gonzalez

Have you guys called anyone else?

 

Betty Ong 

No. Somebody’s calling medical, and we can’t get a doc–

 

(Beep)

 

Scott

On the ground, air traffic control and emergency services were trying to determine what the plan was with the hijacked aircraft. Of course, they did not know the intended target.

 

Boston Center

Alright, Cleveland, New York. Boston. I got a little situation with American 11. He is a 767, departed Boston, going to LAX. We don’t know where the aircraft is goin’. He’s supposedly going to LAX, going Westbound. We lost his frequency and we lost his transponder and, now, the aircraft is just west of Albany, headin’ due south.

 

Herndon Center

Well, Boston Center claims that they lost radio communication with the aircraft.

 

Unknown

And transponder, too.

 

Herndon Center

And the transponder. They’re tracking the primary target at this point. It was last known at flight level two nine zero.

 

Unknown

Uh-huh.

 

Herndon Center

And he appears to have turned southwest bound. Also, there was some mention of some sort of a threat being made to the cockpit or some threat.

 

Unknown

Oh shit, let me get managers involved.

 

Herndon Center

In the cockpit. Boston’s uncertain exactly what was said. I guess they’re going to try to pull the tapes as quickly as they can.

 

Ray Howland

Ray Howland.

 

Nancy Wyatt

Ray Howland. Nancy Wyatt, Boston Flight Service.

 

Ray Howland

Yes.

 

Nancy Wyatt

Okay. We’ve got the flight attendants on the line here.

 

Ray Howland

You do have them on the line ?

 

Nancy Wyatt

From the plane, yeah.

 

Ray Howland

Can you conference them in with us?

 

Nancy Wyatt

I have no idea how to do that – if you can help me out. Hold on, he’s getting some information here. I’m going to read his notes for you. It looks like he’s Middle Eastern. He speaks no English. He was in 10B, 10 Baker, 9D and G, speaks no English. The plane’s in a rapid descent. The flight attendants are concerned. They don’t know what’s going on in the cockpit. Are you in contact with them?

 

Ray Howland

No, we’re not. We’re trying to get in contact with the cockpit.

 

Nancy Wyatt

Okay. It looks like there is severe bleeding– he’s keeping her on the line. There’s severe bleeding. There’s a slashed throat. Okay, we just lost connection.

 

Ray Howland

Lost the connection.

 

Nancy Wyatt

Yeah. Something’s wrong with the airplane? They’re not in the cockpit? Okay, they’re in the back of the plane. They’re not– oh, the hijackers are in the cockpit.

 

Ray Howland

Oh, no.

 

Nancy Wyatt

Okay, they’re in the cockpit. Hey, Craig.

 

Ray Howland

Hey Craig, they’re saying they’re in the cockpit.

 

Boston Center

Boston Center here. Can I get New York TRACON?

 

Herndon Center

You bet. Has nothing to–

 

Boston Center

Yeah, for the American 11.

 

Herndon Center

Say it again.

 

Boston Center

Oh, I referenced American 11.

 

Herndon Center

Right. Have you had any contact with him yet?

 

Boston Center

No. No contact. It is confirmed hijacked though.

 

NY TRACON

Tracon.

 

Boston Center

Hey, TRACON. Hi. Boston Center. Good morning, American 11, 767, possible hijack.

 

NY TRACON

Okay, American 11 75– where’s he landing?

 

Boston Center

Right now, we don’t have any idea, but he was to the northwest of Albany, and now he’s down by Sparta, losing speed very rapidly. We believe he is the primary only. We believe he is in a descent. That’s why he’s slowing down.

 

Boston Center

Looks like we lost a primary target about 20 west of Kennedy and we had a report of an ELT in the area.

 

Unknown

Yeah, we lost track too.

 

New York Center

Boston, this is New York. What type of aircraft was the market?

 

Boston Center

767.

 

ACI Watch

This is the ACI watch. Say again if you lost track of the aircraft. Over.

 

Boston Center

Boston has lost track. And on our frequency, we have confirmed that it was a hijack from the tapes.

 

New York Center

Yeah, New York confirms we’ve lost the track as well. We got a report of an ELT in the area that the track was in. Kennedy Tower reports that there was a fire at the World Trade Center and that’s the area where we lost the airplane.

 

Scott

At 8:37 AM, flight 11 began to descend rapidly at 8:46 AM. American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower. The airplane was traveling around 440 miles per hour and loaded with roughly 10,000 gallons of jet fuel. The nose of the plane directly impacted the 96th floor. Hundreds of people were killed instantly, including people in the offices of the North Tower and everyone on the aircraft. The highest floor that had any survivors was the 91st floor. Anyone above that floor would lose their life either from the flames or breathing in the toxic air from the explosion or from the tower, eventually collapsing. Roughly 100 to 200 people jumped from the upper floors to escape the intense heat.

 

As a result of the call that Betty Ong made from Flight 11 that day, during which she relayed vital information, the FAA closed airspace, which was the first time that had happened in United States history because of her actions. The 9/11 Commission declared Betty Ong a hero, and she’s been honored in other ways as well. On September 21, 10 days after the attack, there was a gathering in a small park in San Francisco to pay tribute to her. Mayor Willie Brown declared September 21 to be Betty Ong day. In 2011, the recreation center in San Francisco’s Chinatown where Betty had played as a child was renamed in her honor as the Betty Ong Chinese Recreation Center about six months after the attack.

 

Betty Ong’s remains were recovered from ground zero and identified. She was cremated and her ashes were buried at Cyprus Lawn Memorial Park in Coma, California. Today, Betty’s legacy lives on through the Betty Ann Ong Foundation. The mission of the foundation states in part, Betty believed that having a positive self-image and self-confidence at an early age was crucial to the development of a well-adjusted individual. Our mission is to empower both youth and senior citizens to make positive physical and emotional lifestyle changes for a healthier and brighter future. The Foundation’s website is bettyannong.com.

 

Each year in September, we have an episode dedicated to remembering the terrorist attacks that happened on September 11, 2001.

 

If you or someone you know was directly involved, and you’d like to tell your story, please get in touch with me through the website – WhatWasThatLike.com. In particular, I’d love to hear from someone who was in the Pentagon that day.

 

This month marks the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. 2,976 people were killed that day, and thousands more were injured. Many first responders are still dealing with the adverse health effects of working in toxic conditions on that day and in the weeks and months that followed at Ground Zero.

 

May we never forget.