New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-21
Nine PERISH WHEN
PLANE HITS AIRSHIP
No Survivors of Mimic At
tack in Austrian Army
Man9uVreS.
CRASH TAKES PLACE
1900 FEET IN AIR
Horrors of Real Aerial Warfare
Most Vividly Illustrated
Crowd Sees Accident.

Vienna, June 20-Nine terribly
burned and mutilated bodies, the splin-
tered fragments of an aeroplane ana
the charred remnants Of big dirigible
balloon are the mute records of one OF
the most tragic, certainly the most SEN
sational of disasters which has oc-
Cured since men learned to fly.
The catastrophe, which resulted III
the death Of all concerned, followed a
mimic attack by the aeroplane on the
dirigible at a great height during the
Austrian army maneuvres, and II
serves to show, more than any preVl-
GUS accidents to flying machines nave
done the horrors that would be likely
to attend aerial warfare.
The dirigible military balloon Koert-
ling left Fischamend, a market town
eleven miles from Vienna, at O'CLOCK
this morning. She was manned "
Cantain Johann Hauswirth, in COM
mand: Lieutenant Ernest Hofstetter'
Lieutenant Bruer, Lieutenant Haidln-
GER Corporal Hadima, Corporal Weber
and Engineer Kammerer;
AT the elapse Of half an hour mill
tary aeroplane Of the biplane type
with Lieutenant Flatz and Lieutenant
Hoosta aboard, started in pursuit. II
WAS the intention Of Captain Haus-
wirth TO take photographs Of the move
ments Of the troops below and then to
ioin in the maneuvres. At the same
time he was to keep out of range OF
any of the mosquito craft which might
seek to attack him.
Witnessed by Big Crowd.
The news had gone abroad that
something in the nature OF q sham
aerial fight would take place. ana az
Koenigsburg, the scene Of the engage
rnent a big crowd had gathered. Very
ou,cklv the smaller but much speedier
craft overlook the big airship, and then
the spectators witnessed thrilling
sight.
AS might a wasp, bent on attacking
some clumsy enemy, the aeroplane cir
cled several times around the balloon.
now darting close to her, and then
away, always apparently steering or
inst in time to avoid an accidental coll
lision.
Meanwhile the balloon continued to
rise until it was about 1900 feet from
the ground. The aeroplane, at still
greater height, man9uvred until II ap-
neared to be nearly over the airship.
Then il began its descent. 1t was the
evident intention Of the pilot Of the
aeroplane TO take up position directly
above the dirigible, within striking dis
tance, but owing either to fatal mis-
calculation of the distance separating
the two craft r of speed the nose oi
the biplane struck the envelope Of the
airship and ripped it wide open.
Wife Of Victim Near BY.
"A
The balloon burst into flames, which
enveloped the biplane, and in a moment
the wreckage began to drop, crashing
at length like lead to the slope OF a
hill. Almost at the same moment the
wife of Lieutenant Hofstetter, who had
been married only a month, arrived in
a motor car.
The envelope of the balloon was still
burning when it struck the ground
Lieutenant Flatze. when extrlcatet
from the wreckage OF the aeroplane
showed faint signs of life; his bods
quivered and he seemed TO be making
an effort to raise himself, but almost
Immediately expired. All the otheI
aviators were killed on the spot.
Military officers who witnessed tn,
disaster said that the maneuvres hac
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