Blimp crashes in North Las Vegas

Monday, May 24, 2004 | 12:54 p.m.

A blimp taking off on a flight to California crashed, but no one in the balloon or on the ground was injured, North Las Vegas Police said.

A ground crew was assisting with a routine takeoff from North Las Vegas Airport about 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. A ground crew was holding a guideline when an apparent gust of wind caused the pilot and crew to lose control of the blimp and it hit the roof of an office building, Tim Bedwell, North Las Vegas Police spokesman, said.

As the crew tried to ground the balloon, which advertised for the automobile manufacturer Saturn, it apparently was caught by another gust of wind and hit the roof of a second office building, Bedwell said.

The pilot and crew managed to land the vehicle on the second rooftop.

There was minor damage to the buildings' roofs and moderate damage to the blimp.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the accident.