| ID | #1632422992 |
| Added | Thu, 23/09/2021 |
| Author | July N. |
| Sources | The Huntington Herald-Dispatch
|
| Phenomena | |
| Status | Hypothesis
|
Initial data
Huntington, West Virginia, HERALD-DISPATCH, October 12, 1931, page 1
Search teams are combing the hills in search of a large ship that has reportedly fallen.
Last night, the mystery continued to shroud reports that an airship burned down in the mountains of West Virginia near Point Pleasant in the afternoon, about 2:50 hours, in the mountains of West Virginia.
Yesterday, search teams on foot and by plane combed the hills in the vicinity of Gallipolis Ferry, where a falling object was seen, which was supposed to be a blimp, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Nothing was found to indicate an accident.
The official search for the ship was stopped last night by various parties.
Meanwhile, residents of Gallipolis again stated that they saw a large ship skewed in the air, and some said that it caught fire.
Ms. R. P. Henke from Gallipoli, one of those who spoke about the vision of the ship, last night described the incident, seen from afar, for the Herald-Dispatch.
"We, like many other residents of Gallipolis, were waiting for a glimpse of the Akron, which was reported to be heading for Huntington on Saturday afternoon, when we noticed the ship on the opposite side of the river over the mountains. It seemed to bend and fall. the one who saw it said that four people jumped with parachutes. It seemed that there was smoke around the object, but perhaps we saw clouds."
Harold Mackenzie and Mrs. Claude Parker, residents of Gallipolis, as well as several people living on the road across the river, also reported that they witnessed the incident.
Dr. Charles Holzer, the owner of the Gallipolis airport and a well-known surgeon, said that several responsible citizens who did not question the honesty told him that they saw an aircraft burning.
The belief that something was going to happen was reinforced by the number of people who told about the alleged disaster.
However, a check of all airports in the region showed that all airships were taken into account. It was said that Akron was unable to make the planned jump to Huntington, where it was supposed to circle Fairfield Stadium for the crowd attending the Washington and Jefferson-Marshall football game.
However, the search teams were not afraid of reports about the safety of all ships. They continued the search until last night, but eventually stopped the search when no evidence of an accident with any character was found.
The group, led by Sheriff H. E. Burdett of Mason County, went into the woods early yesterday morning and returned to Point Pleasant at dawn. Other unofficial parties continued to search throughout the day.
The first search of the plane was made by a lieutenant shortly after dawn. Eckford Hodgson, Gallipolis Airport pilot. He flew in a zigzag pattern over a 20-mile area of forest for about an hour and a half, flying at an altitude of 6800 feet, but found nothing. He also made two more futile flights to see the incident. Last night, he decided not to look anymore.
State trooper E. P. Pomeroy and other state police officers checked the reports of various individuals who reported seeing the airship fall after white spots floated from it. Pomeroy conducted an additional search and announced last night that the state police had abandoned their efforts.
Stanley B. Huntington, manager of Gallipolis Airport, said that the "white objects" seen floating down from the airship shortly after it flew over Gallipolis, heading south, may have been water, explaining that most of the airships were carrying water ballast and that it might have been deemed necessary to quickly lighten the ship by dropping the ballast.
The report that the airship could belong to the Enna Jettick Shoe Co. of Auburn, New York, was refuted late last night when it became known that it was flying between Rochester and Buffalo, and not in West Virginia. The airship Enna Jettick is operated by Major Wadworth, and he has two pilots.
Original news
Huntington, West Virginia, HERALD-DISPATCH, 12 October 1931, page 1
MYSTERY BLIMP SOUGHT VAINLY FROM AIR, LAND
Searching Parties Scour Hills For Big Ship, Reported Fallen
MISHAP REPORTS ARE REITERATED
Gallipolis Residents Describes Mishap As Seen From Distance
Mystery last night continued to enshroud the reported buckling and burning of a blimp in the West Virginia mountains near Point Pleasant Saturday afternoon about 2:50 o'clock.
Searching parties on foot and in airplanes yesterday scoured the hills in the vicinity of Gallipolis Ferry, where the object believed to have been a blimp was seen falling, but their efforts were unavailing. Nothing was found to indicate a mishap.
Official search for the ship was abandoned last night by the various parties.
Meanwhile, residents of Gallipolis reiterated that they had seen the big ship buckle in midair, some saying that it burst into flames.
Describes Mishap
Mrs. R. P. Henke, of Gallipolis, one of those who told of seeing the ship, last night described the mishap, as seen from a distance, for the Herald-Dispatch.
"We, like many others in Gallipolis were waiting to glimpse the Akron, which was reported heading for Huntington Saturday afternoon, when we caught sight of the ship on the opposite side of the river over the mountains. It seemed to buckle and fall. Some who saw it said that four persons jumped with parachutes. There seemed to be some smoke surrounding the object, but it may have been clouds that we saw."
Harold McKenzie, and Mrs. Claude Parker, residents of Gallipolis, and a number of people residing on the river road, also reported witnessing the reported mishap.
Dr. Charles Holzer, owner of the Gallipolis airport, and prominent surgeon, said that several responsible citizens of unquestioned integrity told him of seeing the craft in flames.
The belief that something must have occurred was strengthened by the number of persons who told of seeing the supposed crash.
A check up of all airports in the region, however, disclosed that all airships were accounted for. The Akron, it was said, was unable to make the scheduled jump to Huntington, where it was scheduled to circle Fairfield Stadium for the crowd attending the Washington & Jefferson-Marshall football game.
Searching parties, however, were undaunted in their efforts by the reported safety of all ships. They continued to search until early evening yesterday, but finally gave up the search when no evidence of a mishap of any character was found.
Pilot Scans Hills
A party headed by Sheriff H. E. Burdette, of Mason county, went into the woods early yesterday morning, and returned to Point Pleasant at dawn. Other unofficial parties continued to search during the day.
First of the airplane searches was made shortly after dawn by Lieut. Eckford Hodgson, pilot at the Gallipolis airport. He zig-zagged over a 20-mile square wooded area for approximately an hour and a half flying at an altitude of 6,800 feet, but found nothing. He also made two other vain flights for sight of the mishap. Last night he decided to search no more.
State trooper H. E. Pomroy and other members of the state police checked reports of various persons who reported having seen the blimp fall after white spots were seen drifting down from it. Pomroy made an additional ground search, and last night announced that state police had abandoned their efforts.
Stanley B. Huntington, manager of the Gallipolis airport, said the "white things" seen floating downward from the blimp shortly after it passed over Gallipolis headed south, may have been water, explaining that most blimps carried water ballast and that it might have been found necessary to lighten the ship quickly by dropping the ballast.
A report that the blimp may have been that of the Enna Jettick Shoe Co., of Auburn, N. Y., was disproved late last night when it was learned that it was flying between Rochester and Buffalo and was not in West Virginia. The Enna Jettick blimp is commanded by Major Wadworth and has two pilots.
Hypotheses
The airship
The aircraft lighter than air, which is a combination of the balloon with the mover (usually a screw with an electric motor or internal combustion engine) and the system of the orientation control (steering control), through which the airship can move in any direction regardless of the direction of air flow.
The shape of the airships are divided into:
Parachutist/delta glider
Parachute - a device made of fabric to slow down the movement of the object in the air. Parachutes are used for safe descent and landing of cargo and people, braking aircraft during landing.
The hang glider is a heavier aircraft than air, made under the scheme of "tailless with a arrow-shaped wing", the flight control of which is carried out by shifting the center of the mass due to the movement of the pilot relative to the suspension point (balance glider).
Parachutists often line up in different shapes during free fall.
Investigation
Resume
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