Fatal Zeppelin crash

[vanHorck]

NOS Nieuws - Dode bij zeppelincrash (http://nos.nl/artikel/247959-dode-bij-zeppelincrash.html)

A Zeppelin started burning during a landing in Hessen Germany, the pilot told the 3 passengers to jump out from just a few meters above the ground, they survived, zeppelin took off again (loss of weight?) and crashed a few hundred meters further fatally killing the pilot. The Zeppelin completely burned out......

Memories of early the previous century....

[PPRuNe Towers]

I see some reports that the 'zeppelin' referred to above is one of the Goodyear airships.

[forget]

The newspaper headline says 'Dode bij zeppelincrash'. The newspaper picture shows the burning Goodyear airship.

[Checkerboard 13]

Goodyear airship confirmed.
English account here (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2002935/Pilot-killed-passengers-manage-incredible-escape-Zeppelin-blimp-plunges-ground-Germany.html?ito=feeds-newsxml). (Mail / UK)

[vanHorck]

Hessen: Pilot stirbt bei Luftschiff-Absturz - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten - Panorama (http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/0,1518,768154,00.html)

Horrible event. Reports of a loud bang prior to the fire, possibly engine trouble.

Courageous pilot in telling his passengers to jump out.

[atakacs]

Very graphic pictures in the article above... :mad:

Wonder if there is an "emergency deflate" switch on those crafts... otherwise loosing a few hundred kg would have sent him ballistic...

[DIBO]

Not really providing much more info on 'Airships.net' : Goodyear Blimp Crash in Germany (http://www.airships.net/blog/goodyear-blimp-crash-germany)
Tragic last moments : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQu0F_mLh1M

[forget]

One thread has already been moved to "Jet Blast" by the mods on this tragic accident.

No it wasn't. It was first posted in Jet Blast with a request to move if appropriate.

[hetfield]

According SPON the U/C got damaged on landing with subsequent fire.

Laut Ermittlungsstand von Sonntagnacht zerschellte beim Aufsetzen auf die Rollbahn aus ungeklärten Gründen das kleine, einachsige Fahrwerk unter der Gondel. Offenbar kam es danach zu dem Brand.Flugunglück: Goodyear stoppt Luftschiff-Flüge - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten - Panorama (http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/0,1518,768173,00.html)

"We had an accident!" ("Wir hatten einen Unfall!") zurief und dann noch: "I crashed the airship!"Zeppelin ging in Flammen auf - Yahoo! Nachrichten (http://de.nachrichten.yahoo.com/zeppelin-ging-flammen-auf-075401000.html)

[forget]

A request to the mods to move the original thread here from Jet Blast by the originator, has not been acted upon.

IB4138. Wrong again! Is visibilty limited from a high horse? The original Jet Blast poster said -

Mods, feel free to move this OUT of jetblast (!) if appropriate.

[vovachan]

looks like the fire originated in the gondola

[cwatters]

Early today the caption on one of the photos said something about a strong smell of petrol being noticed during the day.

Edit..

Blimp Accident in Germany: Pilot Dies as Airship Bursts Into Flames - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International (http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,768163,00.html)

Media reports said there had been a smell of fuel aboard the airship for some time during the trip.

[Elledan]

Just shows that gasoline is nothing to mess around with either. Somewhat weird that they didn't immediately inspect the craft with the smell of gasoline so obviously present. That's almost like staying inside a house while the smell of gas is clearly present.

Sad to hear about the pilot, by the way :(

[Engine3firehandle]

Today on the radio news, they had an interview with one of the reporters.

The one from "Bild" Newspaper. The other two came from RTL TV.

"It was the last flight going back to Reichelsheim ( airport ) after a day at the "Hessentag" ( Fairground ). The craft touched the ground at some grassfield. Before everything was normal and a fine flight. The captain was shouting we are crashing. We could smell gasoline. We at first were somehow surprised and then tried to escape. One of the reporters was trying to open the door, but he said: It is not opening. The other reporter jumped out of the window and the reporter from the door followed. We were very low and it was only about a meter to jump down. Before getting out we felt the heat from the back. The captain helped us to get out. But then stayed inside. When we got off the Blimp was climbing and it was too late for the captain to get off. The Blimp climbed to approx. 300m and then came down. The captain was screaming awful and for a long time. I will never forget this screaming."

This was the interview from the reporter today.

[chuks]

Today's German paper said that the LBA (German aviation authority) already put the cause down to a hard landing causing a fuel leak. The report didn't say so but I suppose it was the fuel leak that led to a fire.

This was not a 'Goodyear blimp' but a blimp from Lightship hired by Goodyear.

Goodyear has been reported as planning to re-equip with airships from Zeppelin, I suppose the Zeppelin NT model that can be seen flying around the Friedrichshafen area in the summer.

[Belgianboy]

On this ship the fuel tank is located in the enveloppe and not in the gondola. (Info supplied by a shore crewmeber during her visit to grimbergen before the accident.

[mustafagander]

Command sometimes costs!!!

Would that I could do the same in similar situation.

[flyby12]

The fuel tank is behind the passenger seats and sits directly above the gear. It seems that the undercarridge has failed and punctured the fuel tank. It is poorly designed.

[Champagne Anyone?]

Flyby 12....


First post and complete, uninformed speculation. Lets leave causes of the crash to the experts eh?

I'm sure the report will be in the public forum sooner or later....
:ugh::ugh:

[mickjoebill]

The pilot, Michael Nerandzic, 53 has been posthumously awarded a Star of Courage, Australia's highest honour for civilians for "acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril".

Mickjoebill

[deefer dog]

Based on the very limited information I have read it sounds like it is an award he thoroughly deserved! A great tribute that may offer a small amount of comfort to those he left behind. May he RIP.

[500 above]

He did indeed deserve the award.

Nazza was a fantastic pilot with a great sense of humour. He is sadly missed, but not forgotten. Not least, hopefully, by the pax lives that he saved.