Lilienthal's fatal glider crash in 1896: evidence regarding the cause of death.

Otto Lilienthal's pioneering work on gliders helped form the basis for development of powered aircraft. His death following a glider crash in 1896 was officially ascribed to fracture of the cervical spine. However, the clinical details assembled here make it more likely that he died from head trauma with resulting complications, possibly including intracranial hematoma.