At age 29, Terry was 1 of 23 persons killed in the crash of a U.S. Air Force C-141 jet transport. He had been on temporary 4 day duty at Thule Air Force Base in Northern Greenland. They were returning to the United States on the aircraft when it crashed after touching down at another U.S. base at Soendre Stroemfjord in Southern Greenland. He graduated from Williamsport High School, where he played varsity basketball for 3 years. He attended Mansfield State College before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in January 1966. He served in Thailand and Japan. Terry was the son of Ray F. Ohnmeiss and Nellie Caroline (Wright) Ohnmeiss. Terry was married to Jacqueline L. Lenker and they had one son.
Terry died at the age of: 29 years, 9 months, 26 days
The following is a synopsis of the accident and is provided as informational only.
"After completing a normal approach, the crew elected to go around after touchdown, due to a landing illusion. The aircraft lifted off in a nose high attitude, stalled, and crashed on the runway. There were 4 survivors out of 27 crew and passengers. The incident crew had departed home station on the morning of 27 August and arrived at Thule AB six hours later. They departed the next morning for the two-hour flight to Sondrestrom AB. To avoid refueling at Sondrestrom for the return flight to Thule then McGuire, they had boarded enough fuel for both legs. The flight plan filed. The crew arrived at Sondrestrom in day VMC conditions, and requested a PAR approach. They landed slightly long. Witnesses testified that the approach and landing appeared normal. The aircraft rolled for 1500 to 2000 feet with no thrust reverser or spoiler deployment. The aircraft then rotated abruptly and lifted off the runway with a pitch attitude as high as 45 degrees. The engines were heard accelerating to takeoff power. The aircraft rolled right, then left. It sank back to the runway. The left wing struck the ground and burst into fire. The aircraft became airborne again with portions of the left wing missing. It flew for 650 feet before striking the right wing and catching it on fire. It then bounced once more and disintegrated 500 feet from runway centerline. Seven crew members and 16 passengers were killed. A navigator and 3 passengers survived. Investigators were puzzled why a plane would crash after a normal landing. They determined that the very inexperienced (Aircraft Commander with less than 100 hour in command) aircrew had been affected by a landing illusion. Sondrestrom AB runway 11 is 9235' long. The first 3000' has an upslope of 1.51%; it rises 59 feet from the threshold. At touchdown, the last two-thirds of the runway disappears, giving the impression of a very short runway. The crew had landed long and hot with a tailwind of 5 to 10 Knots. The excessive fuel (approx. 100,000 lbs.) onboard had required an approach speed 30 knots higher than normal. The pilots (both First Lieutenants) had initiated a go-around. For unknown reasons, they had over-rotated and let the pitch attitude become excessive. The aircraft stalled, crashed on the runway, and was destroyed."
Terry died at the age of: 29 years, 9 months, 26 days
The following is a synopsis of the accident and is provided as informational only.
"After completing a normal approach, the crew elected to go around after touchdown, due to a landing illusion. The aircraft lifted off in a nose high attitude, stalled, and crashed on the runway. There were 4 survivors out of 27 crew and passengers. The incident crew had departed home station on the morning of 27 August and arrived at Thule AB six hours later. They departed the next morning for the two-hour flight to Sondrestrom AB. To avoid refueling at Sondrestrom for the return flight to Thule then McGuire, they had boarded enough fuel for both legs. The flight plan filed. The crew arrived at Sondrestrom in day VMC conditions, and requested a PAR approach. They landed slightly long. Witnesses testified that the approach and landing appeared normal. The aircraft rolled for 1500 to 2000 feet with no thrust reverser or spoiler deployment. The aircraft then rotated abruptly and lifted off the runway with a pitch attitude as high as 45 degrees. The engines were heard accelerating to takeoff power. The aircraft rolled right, then left. It sank back to the runway. The left wing struck the ground and burst into fire. The aircraft became airborne again with portions of the left wing missing. It flew for 650 feet before striking the right wing and catching it on fire. It then bounced once more and disintegrated 500 feet from runway centerline. Seven crew members and 16 passengers were killed. A navigator and 3 passengers survived. Investigators were puzzled why a plane would crash after a normal landing. They determined that the very inexperienced (Aircraft Commander with less than 100 hour in command) aircrew had been affected by a landing illusion. Sondrestrom AB runway 11 is 9235' long. The first 3000' has an upslope of 1.51%; it rises 59 feet from the threshold. At touchdown, the last two-thirds of the runway disappears, giving the impression of a very short runway. The crew had landed long and hot with a tailwind of 5 to 10 Knots. The excessive fuel (approx. 100,000 lbs.) onboard had required an approach speed 30 knots higher than normal. The pilots (both First Lieutenants) had initiated a go-around. For unknown reasons, they had over-rotated and let the pitch attitude become excessive. The aircraft stalled, crashed on the runway, and was destroyed."
At age 29, Terry was 1 of 23 persons killed in the crash of a U.S. Air Force C-141 jet transport. He had been on temporary 4 day duty at Thule Air Force Base in Northern Greenland. They were returning to the United States on the aircraft when it crashed after touching down at another U.S. base at Soendre Stroemfjord in Southern Greenland. He graduated from Williamsport High School, where he played varsity basketball for 3 years. He attended Mansfield State College before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in January 1966. He served in Thailand and Japan. Terry was the son of Ray F. Ohnmeiss and Nellie Caroline (Wright) Ohnmeiss. Terry was married to Jacqueline L. Lenker and they had one son.
Terry died at the age of: 29 years, 9 months, 26 days
The following is a synopsis of the accident and is provided as informational only.
"After completing a normal approach, the crew elected to go around after touchdown, due to a landing illusion. The aircraft lifted off in a nose high attitude, stalled, and crashed on the runway. There were 4 survivors out of 27 crew and passengers. The incident crew had departed home station on the morning of 27 August and arrived at Thule AB six hours later. They departed the next morning for the two-hour flight to Sondrestrom AB. To avoid refueling at Sondrestrom for the return flight to Thule then McGuire, they had boarded enough fuel for both legs. The flight plan filed. The crew arrived at Sondrestrom in day VMC conditions, and requested a PAR approach. They landed slightly long. Witnesses testified that the approach and landing appeared normal. The aircraft rolled for 1500 to 2000 feet with no thrust reverser or spoiler deployment. The aircraft then rotated abruptly and lifted off the runway with a pitch attitude as high as 45 degrees. The engines were heard accelerating to takeoff power. The aircraft rolled right, then left. It sank back to the runway. The left wing struck the ground and burst into fire. The aircraft became airborne again with portions of the left wing missing. It flew for 650 feet before striking the right wing and catching it on fire. It then bounced once more and disintegrated 500 feet from runway centerline. Seven crew members and 16 passengers were killed. A navigator and 3 passengers survived. Investigators were puzzled why a plane would crash after a normal landing. They determined that the very inexperienced (Aircraft Commander with less than 100 hour in command) aircrew had been affected by a landing illusion. Sondrestrom AB runway 11 is 9235' long. The first 3000' has an upslope of 1.51%; it rises 59 feet from the threshold. At touchdown, the last two-thirds of the runway disappears, giving the impression of a very short runway. The crew had landed long and hot with a tailwind of 5 to 10 Knots. The excessive fuel (approx. 100,000 lbs.) onboard had required an approach speed 30 knots higher than normal. The pilots (both First Lieutenants) had initiated a go-around. For unknown reasons, they had over-rotated and let the pitch attitude become excessive. The aircraft stalled, crashed on the runway, and was destroyed."
Terry died at the age of: 29 years, 9 months, 26 days
The following is a synopsis of the accident and is provided as informational only.
"After completing a normal approach, the crew elected to go around after touchdown, due to a landing illusion. The aircraft lifted off in a nose high attitude, stalled, and crashed on the runway. There were 4 survivors out of 27 crew and passengers. The incident crew had departed home station on the morning of 27 August and arrived at Thule AB six hours later. They departed the next morning for the two-hour flight to Sondrestrom AB. To avoid refueling at Sondrestrom for the return flight to Thule then McGuire, they had boarded enough fuel for both legs. The flight plan filed. The crew arrived at Sondrestrom in day VMC conditions, and requested a PAR approach. They landed slightly long. Witnesses testified that the approach and landing appeared normal. The aircraft rolled for 1500 to 2000 feet with no thrust reverser or spoiler deployment. The aircraft then rotated abruptly and lifted off the runway with a pitch attitude as high as 45 degrees. The engines were heard accelerating to takeoff power. The aircraft rolled right, then left. It sank back to the runway. The left wing struck the ground and burst into fire. The aircraft became airborne again with portions of the left wing missing. It flew for 650 feet before striking the right wing and catching it on fire. It then bounced once more and disintegrated 500 feet from runway centerline. Seven crew members and 16 passengers were killed. A navigator and 3 passengers survived. Investigators were puzzled why a plane would crash after a normal landing. They determined that the very inexperienced (Aircraft Commander with less than 100 hour in command) aircrew had been affected by a landing illusion. Sondrestrom AB runway 11 is 9235' long. The first 3000' has an upslope of 1.51%; it rises 59 feet from the threshold. At touchdown, the last two-thirds of the runway disappears, giving the impression of a very short runway. The crew had landed long and hot with a tailwind of 5 to 10 Knots. The excessive fuel (approx. 100,000 lbs.) onboard had required an approach speed 30 knots higher than normal. The pilots (both First Lieutenants) had initiated a go-around. For unknown reasons, they had over-rotated and let the pitch attitude become excessive. The aircraft stalled, crashed on the runway, and was destroyed."
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