Oct. 2, 1910 - First Mid-Air Collision.

Shepherd

Final Approach
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For you history buffs:
An aviation meeting named ´Milano Circuito Aereo Internazionale´ was organized in Milan, Italy, between 24th September and 3rd October 1910. At the end of the event – on the 2nd of October, a French aviator René Thomas, flying Antoinette IV monoplane, collided with a Farman III biplane, flown by British Army Capt. Bertram Dickson. Thomas rammed the Dickson´s aircraft, hitting it in the tail.

Fortunately, both of them survived the crash, however Dickson´s injuries were so serious he never flew again. There are no data about the aircraft, but given the materials they were made of, we can presume both were damaged beyond repair.

The aviation pioneers managed to fly without any fatal mid-air collision until 1912. That year, on 19th June, two French Army aircraft collided in the morning mist at Douai, France, killing both pilots.
 
What was left out, was that René Thomas was on a 1 mile final, straight in approach, when he rammed Bertram Dickson...some say Dickson turned base too soon, and cut off Thomas. NTSB still has the case listed as "pending investigation" on their docket.
 
He was heard yelling (no radios) "Anyone in the pattern, please advise"
 
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