1st landing by an airplane at geographic North Pole - May 3, 1952

On May 3, 1952 scientist Albert P. Crary, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Joseph O. Fletcher, and Lieutenant William P. Benedict became the first three people to ever land at the geographic North Pole by airplane. The three also became the first to ever set foot on the geographic North Pole. Lieutenant William P. Benedict, with Lieutenant Colonel Fletcher as co-pilot, landed a modified Air Force C-47 plane with skis and wheels at the northernmost spot in the world. Albert P. Crary was a polar geophysicist and glaciologist and was also the first person in the world to set foot on both the north and south poles. Crary led a team of eight and set foot on the South Pole on February 12, 1961.

The geographic North Pole is where the Earth’s axis of rotation crosses the Earth’s surface. The South Pole is located on a continent but the North Pole falls in the Arctic Ocean making the constantly-shifting ice an unstable location to create a permanent research station. Before this historic landing, many adventure seekers tried to reach the North Pole. Some claim to have reached the North Pole but, before this landing, none of the claims had been completely verified.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2002/05/07/edold_ed3__11.php