Thomas Selfridge
Lieutenant Thomas Etholen Selfridge (February 2, 1882 - September 17, 1908) was the first person to die in a powered aircraft crash.
Selfridge was a graduate of West Point.
After receiving his commission, he was assigned to the Signal Corps Aeronautical Division at Fort Myer, Virginia. There he helped design the Army Dirigible Number One. He was also a member of the Aerial Experiment Association, which was chaired by Alexander Graham Bell. The Aerial Experiment Association built Red Wing, an aerodome designed by Selfridge. Red Wing was demolished in a crash on March 17, 1908.
When Orville Wright came to Fort Myer to demonstrate his aircraft for the Army, Selfridge arranged to fly along while Orville piloted the craft. During the flight, at an altitude of 150 feet the plane lost its propeller, which damaged the wing. Orville managed to bring the plane down to 75 feet, but then it dove into the ground. Selfridge died, while Orville Wright suffered severe injuries and was hospitalized for three months.
Thomas Selfridge was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Section 3, Lot 2158, Grid QR-13/14. Selfridge Air National Guard Base, located outside of Detroit, Michigan, is named for him.
