ERIN, Penn.–A blimp sponsored by Pentagon Federal Credit Union burst into flames and crashed at the U.S. Open Golf Tournament here.
The pilot was injured, but survived, and has been transported to a local hospital. The crash occurred at approximately 11:15 a.m. approximately a half-mile from the Erin Hills golf course.
The blimp was operated by Florida-based AirSign, an aerial advertising firm, and had been leased by PenFed and featured the PenFed brand prominently.
According to eyewitnesses, the pilot remained with the blimp as it slowly descended to the ground, after which he was pulled from the wreckage. Eyewitnesses reported hearing several booms and seeing smoke before the blimp began its slow descent. It caught fire on the way to the ground, where it crashed in a farmer’s field.