Helgoland Island air disaster
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | September 9, 1913 |
| Summary | Weather |
| Site | North Sea, off Heligoland |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Airship |
| Aircraft name | LZ14 (manufacturer's designation) |
| Operator | Imperial German Navy |
| Registration | L 1 (military designation) |
| Crew | 20 |
| Fatalities | 14 |
| Survivors | 6 |
The Helgoland Island air disaster occurred on 9 September 1913 after the airship Zeppelin LZ 14 had been transferred to the Imperial German Navy on 7 October 1912. As the first airship owned by the Navy, it was given the serial number L-1. Ordered to participate in manoeuvers, it departed the mainland in bad weather. With 20 people on board, L-1 flew into a gale, and, while 18 miles from its destination, the cold rain caused its gas to contract, causing it to settle 32 km; 17 nmi (20 mi) north of Heligoland into the North Sea, breaking in two. The control car sank, drowning 13 of its occupants. Seven were rescued by motor torpedo boats.[1][2]
References
- ^ Langland, James, M. A., compiler, "Almanac and Year-Book for 1914", The Chicago Daily News Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1913, page 396.
- ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=f3pQAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA396&lpg=PA396&dq=perry+rich+aviator&source=bl&ots=GjRfadkZKM&sig=uUYuJVll0D7UbP9aLYnfJ3QWIds&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwimnJTL-P3UAhXE7yYKHZl_BicQ6AEILDAB#v=onepage&q=perry%20rich%20aviator&f=false
- German Airship Lost with 15 Men (New York Times).
- Airship Loss Fails to Daunt Germans (New York Times).