WI: Flight 11 was intercepted and shot by a jetfighter

Shortly before the first plane slams into the WTC, two F-15s are sent to intercept Flight 11. What if they intercepted and shot the plane? Can the pilot go on trial for collateral damage or some sort?
 
Shortly before the first plane slams into the WTC, two F-15s are sent to intercept Flight 11. What if they intercepted and shot the plane? Can the pilot go on trial for collateral damage or some sort?

NORAD only had about 9 minutes of advance notification about the hijacking of Flight 11 so there's no way the fighters are going to arrive in time. In fact, the F-15s took off 7 minutes after flight 11 slammed into the WTC. None the less, to your question, there will be no survivors to put on trial as Mohamed Atta will, one way or another, die in the flames and carnage.
 
NORAD only had about 9 minutes of advance notification about the hijacking of Flight 11 so there's no way the fighters are going to arrive in time. In fact, the F-15s took off 7 minutes after flight 11 slammed into the WTC. None the less, to your question, there will be no survivors to put on trial as Mohamed Atta will, one way or another, die in the flames and carnage.

Yeah, but I meant by that the F-15s intercept Flight 11 earlier and shot the plane, can the pilot who shot the missile into Flight 11 be on trial for collateral damage?
 
At the 10 year anniversary, the Washington Post ran a story on the junior of the two pilots who got off the ground (from Andrews I guess) to try and intercept UA 93 (which ultimately crashed in Pennsylvania).

According to the article they didn't have time to arm their planes. The junior pilot asked the senior pilot what they were going to do. The senior pilot simply said something like "the plane isn't going to make its target". The junior pilot said she never asked for further clarification and took it to mean they were going to have to ram the 757's engines. She never said anything about receiving official orders on how to engage. I guess that doesn't necessarily mean they weren't given.

Don't know if this adds anything, but at the time I found this article very interesting.
 
At the 10 year anniversary, the Washington Post ran a story on the junior of the two pilots who got off the ground (from Andrews I guess) to try and intercept UA 93 (which ultimately crashed in Pennsylvania).

According to the article they didn't have time to arm their planes. The junior pilot asked the senior pilot what they were going to do. The senior pilot simply said something like "the plane isn't going to make its target". The junior pilot said she never asked for further clarification and took it to mean they were going to have to ram the 757's engines. She never said anything about receiving official orders on how to engage. I guess that doesn't necessarily mean they weren't given.

Don't know if this adds anything, but at the time I found this article very interesting.

Yes, 2 F-16 fighters from Andrews were scrambled and ordered to intercept Flight 93; however, flight 93 had already crashed by the time they took off.
 
As above have all stated, the biggest problem faced was time. Even if there was armed aircraft on patrol as on GB airspace there is what is known as the OODA loop. Observe what is going on, to late for first & possibly second aircraft. Orient yourself in battle, you're now under attack, but what are the targets? Decide what to do next, get someone in charge to make a decision. Act before your opponent has completed his OODA loop. Could a pre 9-11 fighter pilot make the call to shoot down an American civilian airliner with American citizens onboard, in American airspace, live on American TV in the same manner in which they would down an enemy combat aircraft?
Fighter pilots are trained differently to light infantry soldiers. Air combat has become almost a game of 'space invaders' sterile in action whereas infantry still have to physically hold an opponent, look him square in the eye and stick a bayonette into him, thus so many cases of PTSD.
For thes reasons, even with a CAP, and left to the military alone, (no Todd Beamer) then all 4 aircraft would've hit their targets.
 
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