The Resume

(March 3, 1887-March 14, 1915)
Born in San Francisco, California
Stunt pilot
Known for performing loops and his 'dip of death' in which he would dive towards the ground at full speed with his hands outstretched, then level out at the last moment with the control stick gripped between his knees
Nicknamed 'the Master Birdman' and 'the Man Who Owns the Sky'
Crashed into San Francisco Bay during the Panama-Pacific International Exposition
Survived the crash but drowned when he was unable to unfasten his safety straps

Why he might be annoying:

He crashed two planes in his first two flights.
He complained that much of the audience at air shows came to watch pilots die.
He retired when aircraft manufacturer Glenn Curtiss refused to build him a plane capable of performing an inside loop.
He publicly claimed that his retirement was prompted by his guilt feelings over the many young aviators who had died trying to emulate his stunts (March 7, 1913).
When Curtiss reluctantly agreed to build a loop-capable plane, he immediately unretired.
In his first flight back, his plane dipped following a turn, causing the wing to knock four spectators off a hanger roof, with one woman dying from the fall (October 7, 1913).

Why he might not be annoying:

At 19, he built his own dirigible, flew it around the Washington Monument and landed on the White House lawn.
At the height of his career, he earned more money in a single exhibition than the average American earned in a year.
Orville Wright said, 'An aeroplane in the hands of Lincoln Beachey is poetry.... He is the most wonderful flyer of all.'

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 36]
• Dead Pilots Society
• I Accidentally Killed Someone
• I Died Before My 30th Birthday (Ranked: 28)
• I Died by Drowning
• I Died in 1915 (Ranked: 28)
• I Died in the City I Was Born In
• I Died While Flying
• I Retired, Just Kidding
• Look at My Airplane
• Pilots
• Profiles 31251-31500 (Ranked: 31284)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 5 Votes: 20.0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 8 Votes: 12.50% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 11 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 13 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 15 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 11 Votes: 36.36% Annoying