Helgoland Island air disaster

Helgoland Island air disaster

Accident summary
Date	September 9, 1913
Summary	Weather
Site	North Sea, off Heligoland
Crew	20
Fatalities	14
Survivors	6
Aircraft type	Airship
Aircraft name	LZ14 (manufacturer's designation)
Operator	Imperial German Navy
Registration	L 1 (military designation)

The Helgoland Island air disaster occurred on 9 September 1913 after the airship Zeppelin LZ 14 had been transferred to the Imperial German Navy on 7 October 1912. As the first airship owned by the Navy, it was given the serial number L-1. With 20 people on board, L-1 flew into a strong storm, crashing 32 km; 17 nmi (20 mi) north of Heligoland into the North Sea, breaking in two. The control car sank, drowning 14 of its occupants.

References

• German Airship Lost with 15 Men (New York Times).
• Airship Loss Fails to Daunt Germans (New York Times).