1945 – May 3, US Navy blimp engine fire leads to covering fire/crash, Santa Ana, CA —  8

Compiled Nov 19, 2023 by Wayne Blanchard for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–8  Aviation Safety Network. USN Blimp fuel tanks explode at 200 feet, Santa Ana, CA, May 4.

–8  United Press. “25 Killed in 3 Air Crashes.” San Mateo Times, CA. 5-5-1945, p. 1.

–8  UP. “Eight Killed When Navy Blimp Catches Fire.” The Hayward Review, CA. 5-4-1945, 6.

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 79 (US Navy blimp):

“Date:                          Friday 4 May 1945 [incorrect – was the evening of May 3.

“Type:                         blimp

“Owner/operator:        United States Navy (USN) ….

“Fatalities:                   Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 9 ….

“Location:                   Santa Ana, CA – USA

“Nature:                       Military ….

“Narrative:                   Fuel tanks exploded when at 200ft altitude.”

May 4, UP: “Santa Ana, (U.P.) – The Navy disclosed today that eight men were killed last night when a Navy patrol blimp caught fire while preparing to land at the Santa Ana light-than-air base. One member of the nine-man crew escaped death but was injured and taken to the Long Beach Naval hospital.

“Officers said the blimp was coming back from a patrol flight. Two hundred feet off the ground, one engine caught fire and the blimp’s covering burst into flame. The burning wreckage crashed to the ground about a quarter mile southwest of the field. The lone survivor jumped just before the blimp hit the ground…” (UP. “Eight Killed When Navy Blimp Catches Fire.” The Hayward Review, CA. 5-4-1945, p. 6.)

May 5, UP: “….Santa Ana, May 5. – (U.P.) – The navy department released today the names of eight men killed Thursday night [May 3] in the flaming crash of a patrol blimp at Santa Ana lighter-than-air base. One man survived.” (United Press. “25 Killed in 3 Air Crashes.” San Mateo Times, CA. 5-5-1945, p. 1.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 79. US Navy blimp fuel tanks explode at 200 feet altitude, 5-4-1945, Santa Ana, CA. Accessed11-19-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/203526

United Press. “25 Killed in 3 Air Crashes.” San Mateo Times, CA. 5-5-1945, p. 1. Accessed 11-19-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-mateo-times-may-05-1945-p-1/

United Press. “Eight Killed When Navy Blimp Catches Fire.” The Hayward Review, CA. 5-4-1945, p. 6. Accessed 11-19-2023 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/hayward-review-may-04-1945-p-6/