Weldon B. Cooke

Who was Weldon B. Cooke?

Weldon B. Cooke of Oakland, California was a pioneer aviator.

He was born in Oakland, California to Ada L. and William H. Cooke. On 19 December 1911 Cooke was the first person to overfly Mount Tamalpais in Marin County, California in an aircraft called the "Black Diamond". The flight ended in Mill Valley, California inroute to Oakland after an engine failure and glide to landing from 2000ft of altitude. The "Black Diamond" was donated to the Smithsonian, and is on display at the Hiller Aviation Museum.

Cooke died in an aircrash in Pueblo, Colorado.