4 killed in Eloy hot air balloon crash identified as investigation into causes continues

Abigail Celaya, Arizona Republic
Updated ·2 min read
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An Eloy-based pilot and three passengers from out of state were identified as those killed in a hot air balloon crash in the Arizona desert on Sunday, authorities said.

A 23-year-old woman from Scottsdale was critically injured, Eloy police said.

The balloon, operated by Droplyne Hot Air Balloon Rides, had been carrying 13 people at takeoff — eight of them skydivers who had left the craft before issues arose, police said.

The crash occurred early Sunday morning near Sunshine Boulevard and Hanna Road in Eloy, about 65 miles south of Phoenix, according to Eloy police.

The hot air balloon was identified as a Kubicek BB 85 by the National Transportation Safety Board, one of the federal agencies investigating the crash. In a statement Monday, the NTSB said the air balloon crashed at 7:45 a.m. on Sunday after an "unspecified problem with its envelope."

What we know: 4 dead, 1 injured in hot air balloon crash in Eloy

Police on Monday identified the passengers who died as:

  • Chayton Wiescholek, 28, of Union City, Michigan.

  • Kaitlynn Bartrom, 28, of Andrews, Indiana.

  • Atahan Kiliccote, 24, of Cupertino, California.

The pilot was identified as Cornelius van der Walt, 37, a resident of Eloy who was originally from South Africa, according to the Eloy police.

"We extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives in this tragic incident," Eloy police said in a statement.

Van der Walt was the founder and pilot of Droplyne Hot Air Balloon Rides, according to the company’s website.

Droplyne operated hot air balloon flights in the Eloy and Casa Grande areas from November to April and operated out of Moab, Utah, during the spring and summer months, according to the company website. It also offered skydiving flights.

The website indicates the company was founded in 2017, but it was developed out of a personal hobby that began in 2012. Droplyne’s website indicates it had “a perfect safety record.”

Eloy police were collaborating with the NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration to investigate the incident.

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NTSB investigators did not find anything wrong with the mechanics of the balloon when they separated the balloon from the basket, the statement said.

NTSB said that investigators would be examining the envelope for any anomalies and that an electronic device with possible relevant flight information and a video camera was sent to NTSB headquarters in Washington, D.C., for further analysis.

NTSB said investigators have collected maintenance records for the balloon and information on the pilot's flight experience.

Interviews with witnesses and participants in the flight were continuing, according to the agency.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Eloy hot air balloon crash: 4 dead identified, investigation continues