 Photograph of the Hindenburg descending in flames | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | May 6, 1937 |
| Summary | Caught fire during landing |
| Site | NAS Lakehurst, Manchester Township, New Jersey, U.S. 40°01′49″N 74°19′33″W / 40.03035°N 74.32575°W |
| Total fatalities | 36 |
| Aircraft | |
 D-LZ129, the airship involved, seen over New York City shortly before the disaster | |
| Aircraft type | Hindenburg-class airship |
| Aircraft name | Hindenburg |
| Operator | Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei |
| Registration | D-LZ129 |
| Flight origin | Frankfurt am Main, Nazi Germany |
| Destination | NAS Lakehurst, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Occupants | 97 |
| Passengers | 36 |
| Crew | 61 |
| Fatalities | 35 |
| Injuries | Most of the 62 survivors |
| Survivors | 62 |
| Ground casualties | |
| Ground fatalities | 1 |
| Ground injuries | 1 |
The Hindenburg disaster was an airship accident that happened on May 6, 1937, in Manchester Township, New Jersey, United States. The LZ 129 Hindenburg (Luftschiff Zeppelin #129; Registration: D-LZ 129) was a German commercial passenger-carrying rigid airship. Since it was filled with hydrogen, it caught fire and was destroyed during its attempt to dock with its mooring mast at Naval Air Station Lakehurst. The accident caused 35 deaths (13 passengers and 22 crewmen) among the 97 people on board (36 passengers and 61 crewmen), and an another death on the ground.
An announcer, Herbert Morrison reported the landing and then screamed and said, "Oh the humanity" after it caught on fire. Morrison's line is now famous around the world as well as photos and film footage of the disaster.
