Thomas Selfridge | |
|---|---|
 Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge (1882–1908) | |
| Born | February 8, 1882 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Died | September 17, 1908 (aged 26) Fort Myer, Virginia, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Plane crash |
| Buried | Arlington National Cemetery Section 3 Gravesite 2158[1] |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1903–1908 |
| Rank | First Lieutenant |
| Unit | Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps |
| Relations | Thomas O. Selfridge Sr. (grandfather), Thomas O. Selfridge Jr. (uncle) |
Thomas Etholen Selfridge (February 8, 1882 – September 17, 1908) was a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army and the first person to die in an airplane crash. He was also the first active-duty member of the U.S. military to die in a crash while on duty. He was killed while seated as a passenger in a Wright Flyer, on a demonstration flight piloted by Orville Wright.[2]
- ^ "Prominent Military Figures". Arlington National Cemetery. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
- ^ "Fatal Fall of Wright Airship; Lieut. Selfridge Killed and Orville Wright Hurt by Breaking of Propeller. Machine a Total Wreck. Increased Length of New Blade and Added Weight of a Passenger Probable Causes. Cavalry Ride Down Crowd Rumor That the Machine Had Been Tampered with Denied by Army Officers – Not Well Guarded" (PDF). The New York Times. September 18, 1908. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
Falling from a height of 75 feet, Orville Wright and Lieut. Thomas E. Selfridge of the Signal Corps were buried in the wreckage of Wright's aeroplane shortly after 5 o'clock this afternoon. The young army officer died at 8:10 o'clock to-night. Wright is badly hurt, although he probably will recover.