June 2020 • Nebraskaland 37
the damaged glider tumbled through the air for the fi rst 500
feet before fi nally righting itself and pulling into a tight spin.
Witnesses said he hit the ground within about 1 to 1 1/2
minutes – fast enough to knock him out, but not fast enough
to kill him.
Ulrick Sorensen had survived Nebraska's fi rst plane crash.
Reports appeared in newspapers around the country.
He promised to try again. He was sure he'd get it right
this time. But the 27-year-old Sorensen had a problem. His
17-year-old girlfriend, Cora, told him he could fl y again if he
wanted. And she said they could get married. But she made it
clear that one of those two things was not going to happen.
And that was the big decision that Ulrick Sorensen faced
in the summer of 1909. We don't know if he agonized over
it or if it was easy. But we do know that in 1969, Ulrick and
Cora celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary, still living
on their farm near Berwyn.
N
Visit History Nebraska's website at history.nebraska.gov.
Sorensen infl ates his balloon at Litchfi eld, Nebraska, 1909.
Glider Flight
Sorensen at Ord, 1909.
Spalding, Nebraska,
undated. Probably
a Sorensen balloon
and, in the inset, his
parachute. History
Nebraska RG3542-
111-6
