Johannisthal Air Disaster
Encyclopedia
The Johannisthal Air Disaster involved one of the first multiple fatality air disasters in history. It involved the Imperial German Navy's L-2 airship
manufactured by Zeppelin
as the LZ 18. It's 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
. These two incidents were a major blow to German naval aviation.
Airship
An airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
manufactured by Zeppelin
Zeppelin
A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship pioneered by the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in the early 20th century. It was based on designs he had outlined in 1874 and detailed in 1893. His plans were reviewed by committee in 1894 and patented in the United States on 14 March 1899...
as the LZ 18. It's 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
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
gas which was being vented was sucked into the forward engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
and ignited causing the airship
Airship
An airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
to explode and burn. It crashed near Johannisthal Air Field
Johannisthal Air Field
The Johannisthal Air Field, located 15 km southeast of Berlin, between Johannisthal and Adlershof, was Germany's first airfield. It opened on 26 September 1909, a few weeks after the world's first airfield at Rheims, France .-Overview:...
about 10 miles southeast of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. This accident occurred a little over a month after the Helgoland Island Air Disaster
Helgoland Island Air Disaster
The Helgoland Island Air Disaster occurred on September 9, 1913, and is traditionally considered the first air disaster involving more than ten fatalities. Manufactured by Zeppelin as the LZ 14, the airship was transfered to the Imperial German Navy on 7 October 1912. As the first airship owned...
. These two incidents were a major blow to German naval aviation.