Against All Odds: Jenny Hawk's Miraculous Survival and Return to the Sky

A Story of Resilience, Recovery, and an Unbreakable Spirit

On September 12, 2015, Jenny Hawk's life changed in an instant. What started as a routine banner-towing flight ended in a crash that doctors said she shouldn't have survived. But surviving was only the beginning of her story.

A Routine Maneuver Gone Wrong

Jenny had done it a thousand times: diving down in her red-and-white Citabria to snatch an advertising banner from the grass below. It was a maneuver she could do almost without thinking – aggressive, full-power, nose-up at a high angle of attack, all while close to the ground.

But this time was different.

As she snagged the banner, the tow rope became entangled in the plane's tail. When the hook caught and the line pulled tight, it snapped down the plane's elevator – the critical surface that controls the aircraft's up-and-down movement.

In that moment, Jenny knew she had no control. The Citabria was going down.

120 Miles Per Hour Into the Water

The plane dove approximately 200 feet into the Croatan Sound near Manteo. Jenny remembers thinking there was no way to survive hitting the water at 120 miles per hour. In what she believed were her final moments, her thoughts went to her mother, who was watching from below.

She doesn't remember the actual impact.

When she came to, her beloved plane was submerged in the sound. Rescue personnel from the airport pulled her from the wreckage.

The Extent of the Injuries

The initial reports suggested minor injuries. The reality was far worse:

Jenny spent nearly three weeks in Norfolk General Hospital, much of that time in critical condition. She underwent multiple surgeries. When she finally regained consciousness, she couldn't speak – but she could write, and her first written questions were about her plane.

Her doctor delivered a sobering assessment: "You crushed your face... you're lucky you're alive."

Another physician told her he had never seen a person with injuries like hers who survived.

"I Owe the World Something"

Hundreds of well-wishers followed Jenny's recovery online. The outpouring of support from the Outer Banks community and aviation enthusiasts around the country was overwhelming.

As she processed what had happened, Jenny found clarity: "I owe the world something. I need to do something really cool."

Back in the Cockpit

What happened next amazed everyone who knew her story.

Within weeks of leaving the hospital, Jenny Hawk was flying again.

"I was ready to get back in the air right away," she says. The experience had changed her perspective, but it hadn't dimmed her passion. If anything, surviving had strengthened her resolve.

By the following summer, Jenny had completed another full season of banner towing over the beaches of the Outer Banks.

The Lesson

Jenny's story isn't just about one remarkable pilot's resilience. It's a reminder of why we fly – and why the risks are worth taking.

Every day at OBX Airplanes, we carry passengers who are experiencing flight for the first time. We teach students who dream of becoming pilots themselves. We tow banners that announce weddings, celebrate birthdays, and promote local businesses.

And we do it all from the same airport where Jenny crashed and recovered, where she rebuilt her company, and where she continues to fly.

Because for Jenny Hawk, the sky isn't just where she works. It's where she belongs.

"There is no way somebody should have survived that... but I did. And I'm still flying." — Jenny Hawk

Experience the skies over the OBX with the team that Jenny built. Book your flight today.

OBX Airplanes – First Flight Airport, Manteo, NC – 252.473.2442

Sources: The Outer Banks Voice, WTKR News, AOPA