Wingfoot Air Express Crash

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. [cite web | last = O'Brien | first = Ellen | authorlink = Ellen O'Brien | coauthors = Lyle Benedict | title = 1919, July 21: Dirigible (Balloon) Crash | work = Deaths, Disturbances, Disasters, and Disoders in Chicago | publisher = Chicago Public Library | date = 2001-06 | url = http://www.chipublib.org/004chicago/disasters/dirigible_crash.html | accessdate = 2007-08-27 ] 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.

The crash

The craft caught fire at about 4:55pm while cruising at at an altitude of 1200 feet over the Chicago Loop.Citation | title = The Great Tragedy | newspaper = The Columns of the Illinois Trust & Savings Bank, Chicago [special memorial issue] | year = 1919 | date = July 1919 | pages = 3 | url = http://www.chipublib.org/004chicago/disasters/text/balloon/3.html] When it became clear the dirigible was lost, the pilot and chief mechanic of the "Wingfoot" used parachutes to jump to safety. [Citation | title = Wild Plane | newspaper = Time | year = 1993 | date = 1993-09-04 | url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,745991,00.html] 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.

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.

*List of airship accidents

References

Further reading

*" [http://www.chipublib.org/004chicago/disasters/text/balloon/contents.html|The Columns] ", Illinois Trust and Savings Bank, July 1919
* [http://www.chipublib.org/004chicago/disasters/text/balloon/rules.jpgRules adopted by the Chicago City Council] , "Journal of the Proceedings", April 8, 1921, p.2230.