George E. M. Kelly
Encyclopedia
George Edward Maurice Kelly (11 December 1878 - 10 May 1911) was the twelfth pilot of the U.S. Army's Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps
and the first member of the U.S. military killed in the crash of an airplane he was piloting. He was the second U.S. Army aviation fatality, preceded by Lt. Thomas Selfridge
who was killed while flying as an observer in a Wright Flyer
piloted by Orville Wright on 17 September, 1908.
On January 16, 1911, Kelly was a troop officer in the 30th Infantry
when he participated in an exhibition reconnaissance flight with Wright Company
pilot Walter Brookins. Kelly volunteered for flying training and was detailed to the Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps
and sent to the Curtiss aviation school in San Diego, California. Before his training was completed, he and two other pilots (including 1st Lt. Paul W. Beck
) were sent to Fort Sam Houston
, Texas, where the Maneuver Division had been activated in March. 1st Lt. Benjamin Foulois
, the Army's sole aviator, was also stationed at "Fort Sam" with its sole operational aircraft, a leased Wright Model B
. There the Army accepted delivery of two new aircraft, a Curtiss Model D
, serial number S.C. No. 2, and a Wright Model B
, S.C. No. 3, on April 27, 1911, and resumed training for the three prospective pilots.
On 10 May 1911, Kelly took S.C. No. 2 up alone for his primary pilot qualification flight. After five minutes in the air, he came down for a landing at what appeared be full speed and failed to level off in time. The front wheel of the airplane struck the ground, breaking the fork of the steering wheel. Kelly managed to pull up and turn to make another landing attempt. This time the airplane went out of control and crashed, pitching Kelly 100 feet out of the aircraft.
The investigating board ruled that the crash occurred because the first landing had damaged the control system, and that Kelly sacrificed himself to avoid plowing into an infantry encampment. He died from a skull fracture at Fort Sam Houston Hospital an hour after the accident. He was buried in San Antonio National Cemetery
.
Foulois felt that the accident was the fault of Beck, who had since been promoted to captain and now commanded the small unit, for the use of faulty materials to rebuild the plane after Beck wrecked it the preceding week. The plane's Curtiss mechanic, however, blamed Kelly's poor flying technique, stating that when he banked the plane to turn away from the infantry camp, the wing struck the ground. Due to this crash, the commanding officer of the Maneuver Division, Maj. Gen. William H. Carter, banned further training flights at the fort. The flying section, now led by Capt. Beck and including the repaired S.C. No. 2, was shipped to College Park, Maryland
in June–July 1911 where the Army opened its own Flying School in June.
on 29 January 1948.
Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps
The Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps was the world's first heavier-than-air military aviation organization and the progenitor of the United States Air Force. A component of the U.S...
and the first member of the U.S. military killed in the crash of an airplane he was piloting. He was the second U.S. Army aviation fatality, preceded by Lt. Thomas Selfridge
Thomas Selfridge
Thomas Etholen Selfridge was a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and the first person to die in a crash of a powered airplane. He was a passenger while Orville Wright was piloting the aircraft.-Biography:...
who was killed while flying as an observer in a Wright Flyer
Wright Flyer
The Wright Flyer was the first powered aircraft, designed and built by the Wright brothers. They flew it four times on December 17, 1903 near the Kill Devil Hills, about four miles south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, U.S.The U.S...
piloted by Orville Wright on 17 September, 1908.
Biography
Kelly was born on 11 December, 1878 in England. He emigrated, gained U.S. citizenship, and joined the U.S. Army in 1904.On January 16, 1911, Kelly was a troop officer in the 30th Infantry
30th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 30th Infantry Regiment is a United States Army infantry regiment.-Lineage:*Constituted 2 February 1901 in the Regular Army as the 30th Infantry...
when he participated in an exhibition reconnaissance flight with Wright Company
Wright Company
The Wright Company was the commercial aviation business venture of the Wright Brothers, established by them in 1909 in conjunction with several prominent industrialists from New York and Detroit with the intention of capitalizing on their invention of the practical airplane. It maintained a...
pilot Walter Brookins. Kelly volunteered for flying training and was detailed to the Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps
Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps
The Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps was the world's first heavier-than-air military aviation organization and the progenitor of the United States Air Force. A component of the U.S...
and sent to the Curtiss aviation school in San Diego, California. Before his training was completed, he and two other pilots (including 1st Lt. Paul W. Beck
Paul W. Beck
Paul Ward Beck was an officer in the United States Army, an aviation pioneer, and one of the first military pilots. Although a career Infantry officer, Beck twice was part of the first air services of the U.S. Army, first as nominal head of the flying section of the Aeronautical Division, U.S...
) were sent to Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston is a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas.Known colloquially as "Fort Sam," it is named for the first President of the Republic of Texas, Sam Houston....
, Texas, where the Maneuver Division had been activated in March. 1st Lt. Benjamin Foulois
Benjamin Foulois
Benjamin Delahauf Foulois , was a United States Army general who learned to fly the first military planes purchased from the Wright Brothers. He became the first military aviator as an airship pilot, and achieved numerous other military aviation "firsts"...
, the Army's sole aviator, was also stationed at "Fort Sam" with its sole operational aircraft, a leased Wright Model B
Wright Model B
|-See also:-References:* * * * * * -External links:* *...
. There the Army accepted delivery of two new aircraft, a Curtiss Model D
Curtiss Model D
|-See also:-External links:...
, serial number S.C. No. 2, and a Wright Model B
Wright Model B
|-See also:-References:* * * * * * -External links:* *...
, S.C. No. 3, on April 27, 1911, and resumed training for the three prospective pilots.
On 10 May 1911, Kelly took S.C. No. 2 up alone for his primary pilot qualification flight. After five minutes in the air, he came down for a landing at what appeared be full speed and failed to level off in time. The front wheel of the airplane struck the ground, breaking the fork of the steering wheel. Kelly managed to pull up and turn to make another landing attempt. This time the airplane went out of control and crashed, pitching Kelly 100 feet out of the aircraft.
The investigating board ruled that the crash occurred because the first landing had damaged the control system, and that Kelly sacrificed himself to avoid plowing into an infantry encampment. He died from a skull fracture at Fort Sam Houston Hospital an hour after the accident. He was buried in San Antonio National Cemetery
San Antonio National Cemetery
San Antonio National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery in the city of San Antonio in Bexar County, Texas. It encompasses , and as of the end of 2005, had 3,163 interments.- History :...
.
Foulois felt that the accident was the fault of Beck, who had since been promoted to captain and now commanded the small unit, for the use of faulty materials to rebuild the plane after Beck wrecked it the preceding week. The plane's Curtiss mechanic, however, blamed Kelly's poor flying technique, stating that when he banked the plane to turn away from the infantry camp, the wing struck the ground. Due to this crash, the commanding officer of the Maneuver Division, Maj. Gen. William H. Carter, banned further training flights at the fort. The flying section, now led by Capt. Beck and including the repaired S.C. No. 2, was shipped to College Park, Maryland
College Park, Maryland
College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
in June–July 1911 where the Army opened its own Flying School in June.
Legacy
The Aviation Camp (aka Remount Station) in San Antonio was renamed Camp Kelly on 11 June 1917, then Kelly Field on 30 July 1917, and finally Kelly Air Force BaseKelly Air Force Base
Kelly Field Annex and is a former United States Air Force facility located in San Antonio, Texas. In 2001, the runway and land west of the runway became "Kelly Field Annex" and control of it was transferred to the adjacent Lackland Air Force Base, part of Joint Base San Antonio...
on 29 January 1948.
See also
- List of fatalities from aviation accidents
- Thomas Etholen Selfridge, first person in United States to die in powered air crash