Goodyear Blimp safety tour cut short after fatal accident in Germany

ERJ staff report (DS)

Reichelsheim Airfield, Germany -- The pilot of Goodyear's Spirit of Safety airship is dead after an airborne fire over Germany on Sunday evening. Of two small airships touring Europe to promote Goodyear's contributions to road safety, one has been destroyed; the other has been grounded until the cause of the accident is determined.

Airship enthusiast website Airships.net named the pilot as Mike Nerandzic, 53, a veteran airship pilot based in Australia. When the fire took hold, he lowered the craft close enough to the ground for three passengers to jump to safety, but then perished as the fire consumed the airship envelope, made from fabric coated with polychloroprene rubber. Goodyear said the pilot's family has been informed.

A statement from Goodyear said, "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the crew member, and also with our colleagues and the passengers involved with the airship tour in Germany."

No one else was injured in the incident.

The statement continued, "The Airship is one of two leased by Goodyear from Lightship Europe Limited for marketing purposes in Europe. The second airship has been withdrawn from service until further notice." The airship is inflated with helium, a non-inflammable gas. Previous generations of airship were inflated with hydrogen, which led to serious fires in some famous incidents, but Goodyear emphasised that the gas within the envelope is not flammable.

Goodyear said, "As is customary in incidents involving aircraft, the aviation and local authorities have initiated an investigation. Goodyear and Lightship Europe Limited cannot speculate on causes. " The company did not speculate about the effect on its Summer-long European marketing campaign involving the airships.

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Press release from Goodyear

Report on www.airships.net

Pilot of Goodyear Blimp Saves Passengers Before Dying in Fiery Crash from Fox News

Pilot killed after helping three passengers to make incredible escape as Goodyear blimp plunges to the ground in flames from Mail Online (UK / Germany)