The engine used on the 1903 Wright Flyer was studied at the National Air and Space Museum during restoration activities in 1985. The study was facilitated by extensive written documentation. One interesting result of the study was identification of a crankcase in the Wright Brothers National Memorial, Kittyhawk, N.C. as the original crankcase used in the 1903 engine. It had been thought that the original crankcase was salvaged for new castings following an accident. Several other non-original parts were identified as well. The study employed scientific analyses of materials and residues along with study of documentary evidence to resolve several long-standing historical questions.