Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1914-06-24
COLLISION IN AIR
KILLS NINE MEN
BipIane Strikes Dirigible and
Army Flyers Perish.
EXPLOSION FOLLOWS CRASH
Crafts Are EnVeIoped in Flames and
All on Board Are Crushed to
Death When Machine Falls
70 Earth.

Vienna. June 22.-Nine terribly
burned and mutilated bodies, the
spIintered fragments of an aeroplane,
and the charred remains of a big
dirigible balloon are the mute records
Of one of the most tragic-certainly
the most Observation-Disclosures which
have occurred since man learned to
fly.
The catastrophe, which resulted In
The death of all concerned, followed
a mimic attack by the aeroplane on
the dirigible at great height during
the Austrian army maneuvers, ana IL
serves to show, more than any pre-
viOus accidents to flying macnlnes
have done. the horrors that would be
likely to attend aerial warfare.
DirigibIe on Scout Trip.
The dirigible military balloon
KoertIing left Fischamend, market
town II miles from Vienna, at eight
o'clock in the morning. 1t was
manned by Capt Johann Hauswirth,
In command: Lieut.. Ernst Hofstetter,
Lieutenant Bruer, Lieutenant Hald-
Inged. Corporal Hadima, Corporal
Weber and Engineer Kammerer.
At the elapse of half an hour
military aeroplane of the biplane
type with Lieutenant Flatz and Lieu
tenant HoOsta aboard, started in pur-
suit
The news had gone abroad that
something in the nature Of a sham
aerial fight would take place, and at
KOenigsberg, the scene of the engage
ment. a big crowd had gathered.
Quickly the smaller but much speed
Ter craft overlook the big airship. and
then the spectators watched a thrill
ing sight.
Like a wasp bent on attacking some
clumsy enemy, the aerOplane circled
several times around the balloon, now
darting close to it, and then away,
always apparently steering off just in
time to avoid an actual collision.
Meanwhile. the balloon continued to
rise until it was about thirteen hum
dred feet from the ground. The aero
plane, at a still greater height ma
neuvered until it appeared to be near
w over the airship. Then it began
its descent.
Error i'm Distance Cause.
1t 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 a miScalculation of the dis
lance, separating the two craft. or of
speed. the nose of the biplane struck
the envelope of the airship and ripped
It wide open. A tremendous explo-
sion followed: the balloon burst into
flames, which enveloped the biplane,
and in a moment the wTeckage began
to drop. crashing like lead to the slope
of hill
Almost at the same moment the
wife of Lieutenant Hofstetter. who
had been married only a month, ar
rived in a motor car.
The envelope of the balloon was
still burning when it struck the
ground.
Lieutenant FlatZ, when eXtricated
from the wreckage of the aeroplane,
showed faint signs of life; his body
quivered and he seemed to be making
an effort to raise himself. but almost
Immediately he expired. All the
other aviators were killed instantly.
According to some experts the
catastrophe was caused by the aero
plane being caught in the eddies from
the balloon. They attribute the ac-
cident to a species of whirlwind
caused by the airship's propeller,
which drew in the smaller machine.