Rip to all the people lost that day......in the end someone had to fly it.....all that is recorded......no just anyone is allowed to fly those things....

WASHINGTON (WJLA) — In 2001, Dan Elwell was a pilot in the small, tight-knit, Washington-based crew for American Airlines. Nearly every month, he flew the right seat of the Boeing 757 on American Airlines Flight 77.

“[Flight] 77, there’s a lot of personal connection to it,” Elwell told 7News.

It was a favorite trip of his.But something stopped him from flying on September 11, 2001.

“I didn’t bid 77 because I had a promotion ceremony scheduled in the Pentagon on 9/11," he said. "I was in the Airforce Reserve.”

His family flew into town for the ceremony on September 11, 2001, but that morning everything changed when he turned on his television and saw the World Trade Center on fire.In an absence of answers, Elwell picked up the phone.

“I called the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m," said Elwell. "I just happened to call them at that time to ask my office with all this going on are we still having the ceremony. And he answered that as far as he knew it hadn't been canceled. Itwas still on the general schedule.”

And then, another explosion happened.

”I could hear it from the phone," said Elwell, who let out a scream and basically dropped the phone. "I went downstairs and told my wife and parents, I said I think another [plane] hit the Pentagon. And five minutes later, the news cameras were on the Pentagon.”

After a wave of concern, another gut punch as he realized it was his plane - Flight 77 - that hit the Pentagon.