This was when the aircraft experienced some sort of mechanical issue. Wright attempted to turn off the engine and glide back to the ground, but he could not gain control. After losing some altitude, the plane began to nose-dive. It crashed into the earth, much to the horror of everyone in attendance.
Both men were taken to the hospital. Orville Wright had a broken leg, broken ribs, and other injuries. He would remain in the hospital for seven weeks. Thomas Selfridge, though, never regained consciousness after the crash. He suffered a skull fracture, and he died in the hospital, becoming the first person to die in a plane crash.
While a loss of life is never a good thing, Selfridge’s death was important to the further development of aircraft. The Wright Brothers found that a stress fracture in their propeller led to the crash, and because of this, they changed their designs accordingly to prevent future tragedies. In a morbid way, it’s also kind of fascinating just how long it took for an aircraft fatality. The Wright Brothers’ first flight came in 1903, five years before the crash that killed Thomas Selfridge. Considering how new and dangerous the technology was, going five years without a fatality is honestly impressive.
But alas, luck had to run out eventually. Unfortunately for Thomas Selfridge, luck ran out when he was in the air. So thank you, Lieutenant Selfridge. You may not have gone down in history on your own terms, but thanks to you and others who came after you who suffered similar fates, aviation is much safer.
Top Image: National Museum of Health and Medicine
Related: Chill. You’ll Probably Survive A Plane Crash.
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