ERIN, Wis. -- The pilot of a small blimp that crashed Thursday near the U.S. Open in Wisconsin during the opening round of the golf tournament suffered serious injuries, including burns, investigators said.
A statement from the Washington County Sheriff's Office said its initial investigation shows the blimp may have experienced mechanical problems before the crash.
A deputy at a security post reported seeing the aircraft on fire or smoking and rapidly descending about 11:15 a.m., the Sheriff's Office said. First responders used utility vehicles to reach the crash site, which was an open field about a half mile from the Erin Hills golf course.