Errant blimp lands in woman’s yard

WORTHINGTON, Ohio - A 94-year-old woman who woke up to discover that a breakaway blimp from a nearby airport had landed in her backyard said she heard a bang during stormy weather but did not realize what happened until police knocked on her door about seven hours later.

The 128-foot-long blimp broke free of its moorings at a Columbus airport during strong winds early yesterday, drifted to the sky, headed eastward, and landed in Lillian Bernhagen’s backyard in Worthington, less than 2 miles from Ohio State University’s Don Scott airfield.

The remnants of a battered blimp were draped over Bernhagen’s picnic table and birdfeeders, covering half her backyard. “I looked out the window and I said, ‘Wow!’ ’’ she said.