Blimp Crashes at US Open

While the US Open is typically known for its amazing tennis, the most recent US Open that took place at Erin Hills outside Milwaukee will forever be remembered for something else: A blimp crashed and caught fire soon afterward.

Problems Mid-Flight

Everything seemed to be going well initially. Photos taken from the blimp were even posted to social media. However, once an altitude of about 1,000 feet was reached, the pilot noticed unusually strong winds and decided to land the craft out of safety concerns.

Unfortunately, the descent didn’t go as well as the rest of the flight had. On the way down, the pilot, who was the only person aboard, heard ripping and tearing sounds, which were apparently caused by panels ripping off the side of the ship’s balloon. This then caused the balloon to deflate, which soon led to the zeppelin crashing into the ground.

Pilot Very Fortunate

Thankfully, the pilot managed to land in a farmer’s field, and no one else was hurt. While the pilot survived the impact, the zeppelin caught fire soon after crashing, and several witnesses reported hearing explosions.

While he suffered severe burns to 40 percent of his body, the pilot had the foresight to wear a flame-retardant suit as a precautionary measure, which likely prevented him from suffering far worse than he did. He was taken to nearby hospital after speaking briefly with police.

Investigation Pending

The Federal Aviation Administration will be conducting a full investigation into what happened in this rare-but-dramatic zeppelin crash. However, it’s anticipated that this process may take anywhere from six months to one year to complete.

It is known that the pilot has a wealth of experience flying blimps, and that the blimp itself was cleared for use beforehand. It’s always possible that something was overlooked during the inspection process, or that a manufacturing flaw led to the panels tearing off in the strong winds.

While most accidents are actually caused by someone’s negligence, it’s simply too early to say what really happened here. There were reports that a local farmer had joked about shooting the blimp out of the air, but police report that they don’t believe the threat was intended to be serious.

We’re just glad that the pilot made it out alive and that no one else was injured in the crash.

Milwaukee Personal Injury Lawyer

While blimp accidents are certainly a rare occurrence, other types of accidents certainly aren’t. Car crashes, for example, leave thousands of people with devastating injuries and expensive losses every year.

Recovering the funds you need to pay for your recovery isn’t always easy, especially when an insurance company gets involved. They’ll try to push blame on you or get you to accept an inadequate settlement offer. It shouldn’t be this way—and it doesn’t have to be.

Let the Law Offices of Gary S. Greenberg help you bring your claim to a successful conclusion. To find out how we can help you, just give us a call at 414-271-7007 or complete the contact form on this page.