Reported in-flight incapacitation: the early birds of 1911

Numerous fatal accidents marred the early years of aviation, but not until 1911 was the first accident attributed to inflight incapacitation of the pilot. Two such accidents occurred in 1911 and were reported due to medical causes. Our review of the circumstances surrounding these two accidents lead to different conclusions. We believe them to have been caused by pilot error, and not by medical causes. So the first accident due to inflight incapacitation of the aircrew for medical reasons still remains unknown.