Thomas Selfridge
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 |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | 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 an American 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.