Tragic Hot Air Balloon Crash Claims Four Lives in Arizona

Four people lost their lives in a tragic hot air balloon accident that took place in Eloy, Arizona. The incident occurred on Sunday morning and left one individual critically injured. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been investigating the incident, suspecting there was an issue with the envelope of the hot air balloon, which is responsible for its ascent.

The NTSB has confirmed that there were no mechanical anomalies detected during their investigation and that both the balloon and the passenger basket appeared to be intact. An electronic device containing flight information and a video camera have been sent to the NTSB headquarters in Washington, D.C., for further analysis. The balloon’s maintenance records and the pilot’s flight experience have also been collected for examination.

The Federal Aviation Administration is assisting in the investigation, alongside local authorities. The hot air balloon involved in the accident was a Kubicek BB 85 Z, which had 13 people on board at the time of the incident. Eight of the passengers were skydivers who had exited the gondola before the crash occurred.

Witness statements revealed that the balloon appeared deflated just moments before the crash, with its material hanging straight up and down. The impact happened in an empty field used as a drop zone for skydivers in Eloy, resulting in the death of pilot Cornelius van der Walt and three passengers: Kaitlynn Bartrom, Chayton Wiescholek, and Atahan Kiliccote. A 23-year-old woman from Scottsdale, Valerie Stutterheim, remains in critical condition.

The pilot, Cornelius van der Walt, was also the founder of Droplyne Hot Air Balloon Rides, a company operating in Arizona and Utah. According to the company’s website, Droplyne offers daily flights up to 10,000 feet in elevation from the Eloy area between November and April, and from Moab, Utah, during the spring and summer seasons. The company claims to have maintained a perfect safety record since its founding in 2017.

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support the family of Chayton Wiescholek, who tragically sent a final text message to his girlfriend saying goodbye and expressing his love. The campaign aims to honor Chayton’s memory and remember him as an adventurous and vibrant individual.