John Ogonowski

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John A. Ogonowski (February 24, 1949 – September 11, 2001) was a pilot and an agricultural activist. A resident of Dracut, Massachusetts, Ogonowski was a leading figure on behalf of farming in Massachusetts, particularly for immigrant farmers from Cambodia, whom he assisted as part of the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project.

For part of his life, Ogonowski flew airplanes for American Airlines. He died on September 11, 2001, when the airplane he was flying, American Airlines Flight 11 was hijacked and crashed into the World Trade Center.

It is believed that he was stabbed to death before the plane had crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Before dying, he managed to engage the aircraft's radio system to allow air traffic control to listen to the terrorist's conversations in the aircraft's cabin.

A remote controlled model aircraft flying field in nearby Tewksbury, Massachusetts has been dedicated to Captain Ogonowski.^[1] An alumnus of the University of Massachusetts Lowell, the institution posthumously presented him with an honorary doctorate at the 2003 commencement ceremony at Tsongas Arena.

Ogonowski is survived by a wife and three daughters: wife Margaret and daughters Laura, Caroline, and Mary Katherine. His younger brother, Jim Ogonowski, who is also an agricultural activist, made an unsuccessful run for the United States House of Representatives in 2007 and is currently running against incumbent John Kerry for his seat in the 2008 Massachusetts Senate race.