Orville Wright's First Virginia Flight C-7 Orville Wright made his first heavier-than-air flight in Virginia at Fort Myer for the U.S. Army on 3 Sept. 1908. He flew the plane slightly more than a minute, reaching a speed of 40 miles per hour. During the next two weeks here, Wright broke world records for speed and time spent in the air for a heavier-than-air craft. On 17 Sept. 1908, however the plane crashed, killing Lt. Thomas Selfridge and injuring Wright. In 1909, the Wright brothers returned to Fort Myer. After additional flight tests, the Army bought their plane for $25,000 on 31 July 1909 for its first military aircraft.