British dirigible R101 crashes in France

1930-10-05

The term "dirigible" basically means "steerable", and was first used in the phrase "dirigible balloon". R101 was built at Cardington under government auspices as designed by Lt. Col. V.R. Richmond. It first flew 14 October 1929. The airship crossed the French coast and passed Poix Aerodrome, a little northwest of Paris. An official in charge of the airport noted that the craft was very low, estimating its height at 300 feet. Just past Beauvais the craft nosed down. It could not be pulled out of its dive, and the first officer ordered the crew roused. The R101 half-levelled, and then pitched into a second dive. It hit the ground near Beauvais, ploughed forward ripping off propellers, and then exploded. Two men managed to jump clear. All but one of the passengers was trapped in their beds. Forty-eight names were mentioned in the death roll.