News Release

Heather “Lucky” Penney

CARMEL — Heather “Lucky” Penney will be the keynote speaker at the Indiana Aviation Hall of Fame induction banquet at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 at the 502 Event Centre, 502 E. Carmel Drive, Carmel. Penney will share her courageous story about her role in one of the deadliest days in modern United States history.

Penney, a Purdue University graduate, joined the United States Air Force and became a fighter pilot. She was stationed at Andrews Air Force Base. She was the first and only woman in the 121st Fighter Squadron during her time flying the F-16.

Penney was on alert on Sept. 11, 2001, the day terrorists hi-jacked four United States commercial planes: two of the planes flew into the World Trade Center towers, in New York City; a third plane crashed into the Pentagon, in Washington D.C and a fourth plane was being tracked as it was headed toward the nation’s capital.

Penney, being on alert on the fateful day, and other pilots jumped into their airplanes. Their airplanes had no ammunition, missiles and the pilots had no confirmation from the Air Force base they were allowed to take off. The pilots had a plan to ram Flight 93 out of the sky. Penney was going to ram the tail with her plane and her wingman was to ram the cockpit. The plane crashed in empty field in Pennsylvania after the passengers fought back, killing all on board.

Tickets for the Honors Banquet and Induction Ceremony are available here.