Bessie Coleman fell from an estimated 2,000 feet in the air when she tragically died. It's important to note that while this figure is widely reported, the actual height of her fall is disputed.
The Tragic Circumstances of Her Fatal Fall
On April 30, 1926, Bessie Coleman was preparing for an air show in Jacksonville, Florida, serving as a passenger during a test flight with her mechanic and publicist, William Wills. While in the air, a critical mechanical failure occurred that led to her death:
- Engine Malfunction: A wrench managed to wiggle its way into the engine's control gears.
- Plane Instability: This caused the plane to suddenly flip and crash.
- Unfastened Seatbelt: Tragically, Bessie Coleman was not wearing her seatbelt at the time. This crucial detail made the situation doubly fatal, as she was ripped from her seat by the force of the air.
- Fatal Drop: She plunged to her death from approximately 2,000 feet above the ground, while Wills, who was still in the plane, also perished in the subsequent crash.
Her untimely death cut short the life of a pioneering aviator who broke racial and gender barriers in the field of aviation.
