Plane crash anniversary---first airplane fatality was in Fort Meyers, Virginia 116 Years Ago.

 Anniversary of the first person killed in a plane Crash: September 17, 1908

"The flight began normally and uneventfully as Orville made climbing circles around the grounds. Suddenly there were two loud thumps. Later, the Wrights and the Army would learn that a propeller had split. As Orville reached to cut off the engine, the airplane gave a violent shake as the broken propeller caught the aircraft rigging. The craft lunged for the ground, hitting nose first and burying the pilot and passenger in a twisted mess of wood, wire, and cloth.

The two Charlies reached Orville first and pulled him clear , bleeding and unconscious. It took much longer to retrieve Lt. Selfridge; he was trapped in the wreck. When he was finally extricated, both men were taken to the fort's hospital. Late in the evening, a doctor announced that Orville had suffered a broken leg, broken ribs, and an injured back. His condition was serious, but he would live — although Orville's leg and back pained him for the rest of his days.

Lt. Thomas Selfridge was less fortunate. He died on the operating table, the first victim of an accident in a powered aircraft."

SOURCE: HERE.