West Haven, Connecticut – July 23, 1891
On July 23, 1891, aeronaut “Daring Donald” was scheduled to do a balloon ascension and parachute drop at Savin Rock in West Haven. The balloon took off and rose to an altitude of about 150 feet when it suddenly began to descend, likely to due to gas escaping. Donald jumped when the balloon was about 100 feet in the air but his parachute did not deploy. He came down in a field of soft clay and miraculously survived, and was not seriously injured.
Source:
Waterbury Evening Democrat, “Accident And Incident – “Daring Donald” Falls From A Balloon At Savin Rock”, July 24, 1891
