Rozier and Romain Balloon Crash (1785)

Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and Pierre Romain died on 15 June 1785 when their balloon crashed near Wimereux during an attempt to cross the English Channel. Contemporary accounts indicate the balloon caught fire in midair before deflating, contradicting legacy claims that it deflated without catching fire.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier was a French chemistry and physics teacher and an early pioneer of aviation. He made the first crewed free balloon flight, and first confirmed human flight of any kind, with François Laurent d'Arlandes on 21 November 1783, in a Montgolfier balloon. In 1785, he attempted to cross the English Channel from Boulogne-sur-Mer. The attempt was prepared in autumn 1784 but delayed until after Jean-Pierre Blanchard crossed the channel in January 1785.

Incident. De Rozier and his companion Pierre Romain finally set off from Boulogne-sur-Mer on 15 June 1785. According to contemporary accounts, the balloon caught fire in midair before suddenly deflating. It crashed near Wimereux in the Pas-de-Calais from an estimated height of 450 meters, killing both men.

Aftermath. The deaths of Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and Pierre Romain marked the first known fatalities in an air crash. The incident occurred during an attempt to fly across the English Channel, ending their lives near Wimereux in the Pas-de-Calais.

People involved

Sources

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