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The Wingfoot Air Express was a dirigible that crashed into the Illinois Trust and Savings Building in Chicago on Monday July 21, 1919. The dirigible, owned by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company was transporting people from Grant Park to the White City Amusement Park.[1] One crew member, two passengers, and ten bank employees were killed in what was the worst dirigible disaster in the United States prior to the Hindenburg crash.
[edit] The crash
The craft caught fire at about 4:55pm while cruising at at an altitude of 1200 feet over the Chicago Loop.[2] When it became clear the dirigible was lost, the pilot and chief mechanic of the Wingfoot used parachutes to jump to safety.[3] A third person who parachuted from the dirigible broke both legs and later died in hospital.
At the Illinois Trust & Savings Bank building at LaSalle Street and Jackson Boulevard, 150 employees were closing up the day's business in and around the main banking hall, which was illuminated by a large skylight. The remains of the Wingfoot struck the bank's skylight directly and flaming debris fell through to the banking hall below. As well as the ten employees who were killed, 27 staff were reported injured.
[edit] Aftermath and results of the crash
In addition to causing the city of Chicago to adopt a new set of rules for aviation over the city, the crash led to the closing of the Grant Park Airstrip and the creation of Chicago Air Park.
[edit] References
- ^ O'Brien, Ellen; Lyle Benedict (2001-06). 1919, July 21: Dirigible (Balloon) Crash. Deaths, Disturbances, Disasters, and Disoders in Chicago. Chicago Public Library. Retrieved on 2007-08-27.
- ^ “The Great Tragedy”, The Columns of the Illinois Trust & Savings Bank, Chicago [special memorial issue]: 3, July 1919, <http://www.chipublib.org/004chicago/disasters/text/balloon/3.html>
- ^ “Wild Plane”, Time, 1993-09-04, <http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,745991,00.html>
[edit] Further reading
