1908 - First Passenger Killed

 

On September 17th, Lt Thomas Selfridge of the US Army was killed with a Wright Flyer piloted by Orville Wright crashed. The aircraft was involved in two weeks of trails for the army. The aircraft had flown three laps at 150 feet when it suddenly shook and dove to the earth. Selfridge lost consciousness almost immediately and died a few hours later. Orville was also injured but not seriously..

On September 17, 1908, Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge of the U.S. Army became the first person to die in a powered aircraft accident when a Wright Flyer piloted by Orville Wright crashed during a demonstration flight at Fort Myer, Virginia. The flight was part of two weeks of trials for the U.S. Army Signal Corps, which was evaluating the Wright brothers’ aircraft for potential military use.

The aircraft had completed three laps at an altitude of approximately 150 feet when one of the propeller blades cracked, leading to a catastrophic failure. The aircraft shook violently, and Orville Wright attempted to glide it safely to the ground, but the Flyer spiraled out of control and crashed nose-first. Both men were thrown forward in the wreckage.

Lieutenant Selfridge, who was serving as an official observer for the Army, was seated in the passenger position. He struck his head on the plane’s wooden framework and lost consciousness immediately. Although rushed to a nearby hospital, he succumbed to his injuries a few hours later, primarily due to a fractured skull. The lack of protective headgear contributed significantly to the fatal outcome, leading to subsequent discussions about aviation safety.

Orville Wright suffered multiple injuries, including a fractured leg, fractured ribs, and several bruises, but he survived the crash. He spent several weeks recovering from his injuries and later continued his work in aviation, undeterred by the tragedy.

This accident marked a somber milestone in the history of aviation, emphasizing the inherent risks of early flight and the need for improved safety measures. Despite the crash, the U.S. Army eventually purchased an aircraft from the Wright brothers in 1909, making it the first military aircraft in history