               Video on the big screen in the media tent at the U.S. Open
June 15, 2017 – Town of Erin, WI – Today was the first day of tournament play for the U.S. Open, but an event off the course became the headline. A blimp operated by advertising firm AirSign was flying over Erin Hills for most of the morning, until it crashed just half a mile from the course around 11:15 a.m.
Rob Tallinger was at the 10th tee box at the time of the crash. “The blimp looked like it was torn in half,” said Tallinger. “Then it just started falling from the sky. It disappeared from view for a minute, then you saw the clouds of black smoke.”
The only person involved in the crash was the blimp’s pilot, who survived the incident but had to be quickly taken to the hospital for treatment.
The news spread throughout the course. Â Many fans were shocked to hear the blimp they noticed in the sky just a few hours before had gone down, but they were relieved to know the pilot made it out alive.
                                                                                                             Reporter Jacob Moeller