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Pilot Orville Wright plane crash kills Lt. Selfridge - 1st airplane fatality

Updated Mar 10, 2025
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Pilot Orville Wright plane crash kills Lt. Selfridge - 1st airplane fatality
Tending to pilot Orville Wright or passenger Lieutenant Thomas E. Selfridge after the crash of the Wright Military Flyer at Fort Myer, Virginia

The plane crashed when a propeller broke and the Lieutenant became the first passenger killed in an airplane crash.

Another image of this crash can be found at:
September 1908 Orville Wright Plane Crash
Date & Place: at Fort Myer, in Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia 22211, United States
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Does flying scare you or thrill you? Today in 1908 Orville Wright broke new records when he flew a plane solo for over an hour. Then on Sept 17 he crashed while flying, killing his passenger Lt. Thomas Selfridge, making him the first person to die in a powered airplane crash. This is the aftermath of the flight on Sept 17.
Photo of Beth Best Beth Best
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09/09/2020
Did not know that.
Photo of Pat Braun Campbell Pat Braun Campbell
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09/09/2020
I'm actually reading this right now. Great book, great author.
Photo of Jean Salutz Jean Salutz
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09/09/2020
Pat Braun Campbell he is a GREAT writer. I’m putting this on my list.
Photo of A Jeanne Simoncelli A Jeanne Simoncelli
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09/09/2020
I loved the big planes...long flights over the Atlantic but small planes can be hectic.
Photo of Pat Braun Campbell Pat Braun Campbell
via Facebook
09/10/2020
Jean Salutz I just finished his The Greater Journey. I highly reccomend this one, as well.
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Orville Wright
Along with his brother, Wilber, Orville Wright is known for being a pioneer in aviation in the U.S. They invented, built, and flew the world's first successful motor-operated airplane in 1903. Their first enterprise was a bicycle shop - they repaired and sold bicycles! Neither of the brothers had middle names as their father wanted to give them "unique enough" first names.
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