Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Ford Rouge Factory Tour and Giant Screen Experience will be closed Monday, March 16, for a day of staff learning and development. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Ford Rouge Factory Tour and Giant Screen Experience will be closed Monday, March 16, for a day of staff learning and development. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Orville Wright Piloting the Wright Model A Flyer at Fort Myer, Virginia, September 1908

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Artifact Overview

While his brother was demonstrating their airplane in France, Orville Wright made demonstration flights of his own for the United States Army Signal Corps at Fort Myer, Virginia. All went well until September 17, 1908, when a cracked propeller caused the plane to crash. Orville survived with serious injuries, but passenger Lt. Thomas Selfridge was killed -- the first airplane fatality.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Photographic print

Subject Date

September 1908

Collection Title

Wright Brothers Collection

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

82.300.1623.22

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Gelatin silver process

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 6.125 in
Width: 7.625 in

Keywords
Orville Wright Piloting the Wright Model A Flyer at Fort Myer, Virginia, September 1908