23 June 1913

The Russky Vityaz (Русскій витязь) or Russian Knight, designed by Igor Sikorsky, was the world's first four-engine aircraft. Test flights between 10 and 27 May 1913 were successful. However, while parked on the runway on 23 June 1913, the aircraft was crushed by an engine that fell off a single-seat Morane aircraft during a landing. Sikorsky decided not to repair the seriously damaged Russky Vityaz and began working on his next brainchild — the Ilya Muromets.