February 4, 1912 –
Franz Reichelt (alias The Flying Tailor) designed an overcoat to fly or float its wearer gently to the ground like the modern parachute. To demonstrate his invention he made a jump of 60 meters from the first deck of the Eiffel Tower, at that time the tallest man-made structure in the world.
The parachute failed and Reichelt fell to his death. The jump was recorded by the cameras of the gathered press.
