Wright 1908 – Fort Myer Demonstration Crash
Date of Incident: September 17, 1908
Location: Fort Myer, Virginia, USA
🧭 What Happened
During a demonstration flight for the U.S. Army, Orville Wright piloted the Wright Flyer with passenger Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge. After several laps, a propeller blade fractured mid-flight, striking a guy wire and causing the tail to collapse. The aircraft nose-dived from ~75 feet and crashed. Lt. Selfridge died from a skull fracture, becoming the first fatality in powered aviation. Orville Wright was seriously injured but survived.
✈️ Aircraft Details
Flight Designation: Wright Flyer Demonstration
Aircraft Type: Wright Model A
Registration: SC-1 (Signal Corps)
Purpose: U.S. Army acceptance trials
Fatalities: 1 (Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge)
Survivors: 1 (Orville Wright)
🔍 Key Factors
- Propeller blade split due to stress crack
- Detached fragment struck tail bracing wire
- Tail collapsed, causing loss of control
- Aircraft descended vertically from ~75 ft
- No safety restraints or protective gear
📆 Timeline of Events
- 21:17 UTC – Takeoff from Fort Myer parade ground
- 21:20 UTC – Propeller failure and tail collapse
- 21:20:30 UTC – Aircraft crashes nose-first
- 21:21 UTC – Crowd rushes to wreckage
- 21:30 UTC – Both occupants transported to hospital
- 00:10 UTC (Sep 18) – Lt. Selfridge pronounced dead
🎙️ Cockpit Voice & Flight Data
No CVR or FDR existed in 1908. Witnesses reported Orville Wright attempted to shut down the engine and regain control. Lt. Selfridge reportedly exclaimed “Oh! Oh!” moments before impact. Orville later described a “peculiar feeling of helplessness” as the aircraft failed to respond to control inputs.
⚙️ Aircraft Systems & Failures
- Wooden propeller blade fractured mid-flight
- Guy wire severed, tail structure collapsed
- No redundancy or structural reinforcement
- Aircraft lacked restraints or crash protection
🛡️ Aftermath and Reforms
- First fatality in powered flight history
- U.S. Army postponed aircraft acquisition
- Wright Flyer redesigned with stronger propellers
- Orville Wright hospitalized for 7 weeks
- Lt. Selfridge buried with military honors at Arlington
- Flight safety protocols began to emerge