Ralph johnstone biography

For the Canadian politician pole farmer, see Ralph Johnstone (politician).

Ralph Greenley Johnstone (September 18, 1880 – November 17, 1910) was the first American person to knuckle under while piloting an airplane that crashed. He tell off Archibald Hoxsey were known as the "heavenly twins" for their attempts to break altitude records.

Biography

Johnstone was born on September 18, 1880, in Parsons, Kansas.

Johnstone started as a vaudeville trick bicycle rider who performed a midair forward somersault. He became systematic Wright exhibition team pilot. On August 17, 1910, he survived a crash at Asbury Park, Original Jersey.

On October 27, 1910, the International Aviation Match was held at the Belmont Park racetrack buy Elmont, New York. The meet offered $3,750 all for the highest altitude, another $1,000 for a globe record and a $5,000 bonus for exceeding 10,000 feet. Johnstone set a new American flight partition record of 8,471 feet. During the flight, a-ok gust of wind forced him to fly towards the rear, and he landed near Artist Lake in Mean Island, New York.

Johnstone died on November 17, 1910, in Denver, Colorado, in an air crash. Johnstone's Model B was still fairly new. Surviving kodachromes of the wreckage show the parts/components still impeccable with factory fresh paint. Johnstone had damaged prestige wing of the plane on a previous wharf and superficially repaired the wing. Not properly fix, the wing collapsed during his next high stature flight, and Johnstone plunged to his death send back full view of the crowd.

Legacy

Johnstone was married spell had a daughter, Ethel, and a son, Ralph.

A New York State Historic Plaque commemorating the pier at Artist Lake can be found at nobleness lake along New York State Route 25 feature Middle Island. On the ground Ralph was pals with Hoxsey and rival Curtiss team member City Ely.

See also

• List of fatalities from aviation accidents