[2] In August 1928, Charles Lindbergh visited Fargo, North Dakota, where she was living at the time, inspiring Florence to take flying lessons.
In return, Florence would promote Fargo and carry advertisements at fairs, flying meets, and air races.
That summer she barnstormed county fairs, worked as operations manager at Hector, and flew in her first race, where she took fourth place.
Four and one-half hours later she landed, "A trifle groggy and gagged by gas fumes," with a verified record of 1,078 loops.
[5] At the 1931 National Air Races in Cleveland, Ohio, she won four woman-only events and claimed $4,200 in prize money.
Florence flew a bright red Gee Bee Model Y Senior Sportster NR718Y, owned by Arthur Knapp of Jackson, Michigan.
[9] Late in the afternoon of September 4, one day after her 29th birthday, Florence was flying in fourth place ahead of four male fliers, averaging over 200 miles per hour (320 km/h) through the first eight laps.
Florence immediately veered off the course and flew steady and level straight south to a plowed field a couple of miles away in Northfield Township.
The businessmen who had bankrolled Florence's first plane served as pallbearers and her funeral was held in the First Presbyterian Church of Fargo.