Marta Bohn-Meyer, chief engineer for NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center and U.S. Unlimited Aerobatic Team manager, died Sept. 18 in an airplane crash near Oklahoma City. She was 48.
Bohn-Meyer was practicing for an upcoming competition in her Giles 300 when the accident happened. According to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board, the airplane’s canopy sheared off in mid-flight, possibly rendering her unconscious. The plane spiraled in to the ground.
She was a top researcher for NASA and one of two flight engineers assigned to fly in the SR-71 as part of a high-speed flight research program.
Her husband has established the Marta Bohn-Meyer Memorial Fund at the Bank of America to provide scholarships and educational programs for young women interested in science. Contributions can be made at any of the bank’s locations using account number 2469941400 and routing number 121000358.