Summary In-flight explosion Date 17 October 1913 Total fatalities 28 (all) | Aircraft type Airship Crew count 28 | |
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Aircraft name LZ18 (manufacturer's designation) Registration L 2 (military designation) Similar 1912 Brooklands Flanders, 1919 Verona Caproni, Wingfoot Air Express crash | ||
The Johannisthal air disaster was one of the first multiple-fatality air disasters in history. It involved the Imperial German Navy's L 2 airship manufactured by Luftschiffbau Zeppelin as LZ 18. Its test flight resulted in the death of all 28 passengers and crew on board. On 17 October 1913, at approximately 10:30am local time, hydrogen gas which was being vented was sucked into the forward engine and ignited causing the airship to explode and burn. It crashed near Johannisthal Air Field about 10 miles southeast of Berlin. This accident occurred a little over a month after the Helgoland Island Air Disaster.
Accident
Two blasts rocked the front section of the airship and it crashed into the water.
References
Johannisthal air disaster Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA