The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1912-06-25
NINE DEAD IN
AERIAL CRASH
Both Craft Destroyed and Men
Mutilated.
CROWDS WITNESS HORROR
While Engaged In Military Aerial Man.
euvers at a Great Height the Bi.
planes Nose Cuts Envelope
OF Big Diriglble.

Vlenna-Nine terribly-burned and
mutilated bodies. the splintered frag-
ments OF an aeroplane and the charred
remnants Of a big dirigible balloon
are the mute records of one OF tho
most tragic, certainly the most SEN
sational, disasters which have oc.
CURED since man learned TO fly. The
catastrophe, which resulted in tho
death Of all concerned, followed a
mimic attack by the aeroplane on the
dirigible at a great height during the
Austrian Army maneuyers, and II
serves to show. more than any pre-
vious accidents to flying machines
have done, the horrors that would
be likely to attend aerial warfare.
The dirlgible military balloon Koert-
ling left Fischamend, a market town,
IL miles from Vienna. at s o'clock.
She was manned by Captain Johaan
Hauswirth, in command: Lieutenant
Ernst Hofstette, Lieutenant Bruer.
Lieutenant Hadinger, Corporal Had.
ina, Corporal Weber and Engineer
Kammerer
At the lapse Of half an hour a mills
tary aeroplane OF the blplane type.
with Lieutenant Flatz aboard. started
In pursuit.
Sham Fight Expected.
II was the intention OF Captain
Hauswirth to take photographs Of the
movements of the troops below, and
then to join in the maneuyers. At
the same time he was to keep out OF
range of any Of the mosquito craft
which might seek TO attack him.
The news had gone abroad that
something In the nature OF sham
aerial fight would take place and at
Konigsberg, the scene of the engage
ment, a big crowd had gathered. Very
quickly the smaller. but much speed
Ter, craft overlook the big alrship
and then the spectators witnessed
thrilling sight.
AS might wasp bent on attacking
some clumsy enemy. the aeroplane
Circled several times around the bal
loon, now darting close to her and
then away, always apparently steering
off just In time to avoid an actual col
llsion.
Meanwhile. the balloon continued TO
rise until It was about 1900 feet from
the ground The aeroplane, at a still
greater height maneuvered until IL ap.
peared to be nearly over the airship.
Then 1t began its descent.
II was the evident intention OF the
pilot Of the aeroplane to take up a
position directly above the dirigible,
within striking distance. but, owing
either to fatal mlscalculation OF the
distance separating the two craft, or
Of speed, the nose OF the biplane
struck the envelope Of the airship and
ripped II wide open.
The Balloon Bursts.
A tremendous explosion followed;
the balloon burst into flames. which
NuNtlbItu Alt blNluAtF hhA AiA a. nv
ment the wreckage began to drop,
crashing at length like lead TO the
slope of hill
The envelope OF the balloon was
still burning when It struck the
ground. Lieutenant Hatz, when ex
tricated from the wreckage of the
neroplane, showed faint signs of life;
his body Quivered and he seemed to
he making an effort TO raise himself,
but almost Immediately he expired.
All the other aviators were killed In
stantly.
According to some experts, the ca.
tastrophe seemingly was caused by
the aeroplane being caught in the ed
dies from the balloon. They attribute
the accident TO a species of whirl-
wind caused by the airship's propel.