Helgoland Island air disaster

Helgoland Island air disaster. Illustration by Achille Beltrame for the Italian publication La Domenica del Corriere, 28 September 1913
Accident
Date	9 September 1913
Summary	Weather
Site	North Sea, off Heligoland
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Airship
Aircraft name	LZ14 (manufacturer's designation)
Operator	Imperial German Navy
Registration	L 1 (military designation)
Crew	20
Fatalities	14
Survivors	6

The Helgoland Island air disaster occurred on 9 September 1913 after the airship Zeppelin LZ 14 had been transferred to the Imperial German Navy on 7 October 1912. As the first airship owned by the Navy, it was given the serial number L-1. Ordered to participate in manoeuvers, it departed the mainland in bad weather. With 20 people on board, L-1 flew into a gale, and, while 18 miles from its destination, the cold rain caused its gas to contract, causing it to settle 20 mi (32 km; 17 nmi) north of Heligoland into the North Sea, breaking in two. The control car sank, drowning 13 of its occupants. Seven were rescued by motor torpedo boats.^{[1] [2] [3]}