Hot Air Balloon Crash in Arizona Kills Four, Injures One

Investigation Underway as NTSB and FAA Seek to Determine Cause of Tragic Incident

Four people died and one person was critically injured in a hot air balloon crash in Eloy, Arizona, on Sunday morning. The balloon had 13 people onboard at the start of the trip, including eight skydivers who jumped out of the balloon's basket safely before issues became evident with the balloon.
The victims have been identified as Chayton Wiescholek, 28, from Union City, Michigan; Kaitlynn Bartrom, 28, from Andrews, Indiana; Atahan Kiliccote, 24, from Cupertino, California; and the pilot, Cornelius Van Der Walt, 37, originally from South Africa and residing in Eloy. Valerie Stutterheim, 23, from Scottsdale, Arizona, remains critically injured.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating the cause of the crash. Preliminary findings suggest the balloon impacted desert terrain after encountering issues with its envelope. However, investigators have not discovered any mechanical anomalies with the balloon.
The balloon was operated by Droplyne Hot Air Balloon Rides. Despite the initial identification as a Cameron Balloons A160, the NTSB later corrected it to a Kubicek BB 85 Z.
Families of the victims have expressed their grief. A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist with Chayton Wiescholek's funeral expenses.