Ten planes hijacked on 9/11

[kspence92]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/16/politics/16CND-REPORT.html

From this report, the Capitol, White House, FBI HQ and nuclear power plants were to be targeted. Obviously the results of this would have been behind horrific.

I find it unlikely that all ten planes could have been hijackeed, and even if they were it's possible some may have been shot down before reaching their targets.

What if all ten did impact their targets, what would the result be especially if the White House and the Capitol are destroyed and a nuclear power plant is hit.

 

[DrakonFin]

This has come up before, and I always like to point out one thing: if the plan was that much bigger and som much more complex, it would have massively more inherent problems and would stand a great risk of being found out before it could be carried out. The article you linked to pretty much spells this out: they had to cut down the original plan because of problems in getting enough pilots trained in time, as well as personality clashes between the members of the conspiracy.

So, all in all, I think I would have preferred for them to obstinately hold on to the original plans, because then it would have been all but assured that some part of the organization would have collapsed, in some way, and the US authorities could have found out about the plan before the conspirators could hurt anyone.

 

[redlightning]

They could hit several targets still like the World Trade Center and also the Pentagon. But after the South Tower and the first shoot down orders are given is hit all of those planes hitting there targets and the hijacker crews first making their way through security undetected.

The whole nation will be on full alert for terrorists like those described within the first three hours of the attacks. The entire public will act to prevent more attacks. Its not more likely to succeed.

 

[Kaiser K]

The plan barely succeeded as it was in OTL, anymore planes would pretty much guarantee it's failure ultimately.

 

[jahenders]

As others have noted, any more complexity might lower the chance of as much success as they had.

That being said, it is at least theoretically possible that they could have found a handful of planes elsewhere such that the timing wouldn't doom much of the plan. For instance, they might hit something near LA, Dallas, and maybe 1-2 smaller markets (Boise, Bismark, Fort Wayne, etc) with some early morning flight.

Assuming they were able to pull that off without screwing the whole thing up, that would result in quite a few more deaths but also more fully spread the shock.

It's possible that one of the planes (either the one in PA) or the one that hit the Pentagon could have hit the White House, but it would have to have been the first hit. It would cause significant damage, more deaths, and would be very symbolic. However, even if he were there, the President would likely NOT be affected -- they'd usher him to a bunker as soon as the plane got within a certain distance.