The Greek playwright Aeschylus was killed when an eagle dropped a live tortoise on him, mistaking his bald head for a stone.

The poet and grammarian Philetas of Cos reportedly wasted away and died of insomnia while brooding about the Liar paradox.

George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence reportedly was executed by drowning in a barrel of Malmsey wine[9] at his own request.

Tailor Franz Reichelt fell to his death off the first deck of the Eiffel Tower while testing his invention, the coat parachute. It was his first ever attempt with the parachute and he'd told the authorities in advance he would test it first with a dummy.