| Date: July 22, 1920 |
Personnel: K. Vizins |
Aircraft Involved: Albatros C.III (#1145) |
Location: Riga |
Details:
- The Albatros had been repaired and returned to active service
a few days earlier (July 17).
- It was test flown a couple of times, and then pilot Vizins took the
aircraft up for a practice flight to prepare for the Air Show scheduled in
three day's time.
- Vizins was flying along the Daugava River at an altitude of about
150 metres when the engine died. He was too far from the aerodrome to
land there, so he chose to minimize the damage and risk to others by setting
it down on the surface of the water. He came down near the export loading
docks, the aircraft promptly sank and Vizins, with a minor head wound,
swam to the shore.
- On July 31 the aircraft was pulled from the water. It was deemed to
be beyond repair, but the engine would be repaired and returned to service.
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