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On this day in 1932, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to depart on her solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean

May 20

|Recurring Event (See all)

An event every year that begins at 12:00 am on day 20 of May, repeating indefinitely

On this day in 1932, American aviator Amelia Earhart departed on her solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean, becoming the first woman (and second person, after Charles Lindbergh) to do so. Taking off from Canada at 7 pm, she arrived in Ireland roughly 15 hours later. Upon her return to the United States, she was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross from Congress.⁠

Did you know? A solo flight may sound scary enough, but Earhart also battled poor visibility, icy weather, and technical problems (including a cracked manifold that caught on fire during the flight!) Earhart had originally planned to fly to Paris, but these issues forced her to land in a pasture in Ireland, where a surprised farmhand met her, asking “Have you flown far?”⁠ 🌧️ ✈️ 🌧️⁠

Amelia Earhart in airplane, Harris & Ewing, 1936⁠

Details

Date:
May 20
Event Category: