Blimp crashes while flying over U.S. Open golf tournament in Wisconsin

ERIN HILLS, Wisconsin (KFSN) -- The pilot of a blimp is "OK" after the aircraft crashed near the U.S. Open in Wisconsin during the opening round of the golf tournament, a representative for the company that operates the blimp said Thursday.

Justin Maynard, a sales manager for Florida-based AirSign, said the company's operations team on the ground in Erin, Wisconsin, reported on the pilot's status. Maynard said he had no more information on the status of the pilot, who has been taken to a hospital, nor on the cause of the accident. He said no one else was on board the aircraft.

Here's video showing the blimp going down:

The U.S. Golf Association said in a statement that the advertising blimp crashed in an open field about half a mile from the Erin Hills golf course. The USGA said the pilot was being treated for unknown injuries and that no other people were involved.

Maynard could not confirm witness accounts that the pilot skydived from the blimp and said the aircraft's pilots do not regularly carry parachutes

The Open, one of golf's four majors, opened play Thursday at the course in Erin, Wisconsin.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.