W MI man killed in AZ hot air balloon crash

Corinne Moore
·1 min read
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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A West Michigan man was one of four people killed in a hot air balloon crash near Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday.

Around 7:50 a.m., officers with the Eloy Police Department were sent to the desert area just east of Sunshine Boulevard and Hanna Road after a hot air balloon crashed.

The police department said four people, including 28-year-old Chayton Wiescholek of Union City, were killed in the crash. One person is in critical condition at an area hospital.

The police department said the balloon, operated by Droplyne Hot Air Balloon Rides, was carrying 13 people when it took off. Those aboard included eight skydivers, four passengers and the pilot.

“It is important to clarify that the skydiving was intentional and was successfully completed by all skydivers before any issues with the hot air balloon were evident,” the police department said in a release.

It’s unclear what caused the hot air balloon to crash.

The Eloy Police Department is working with the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration to investigate the crash.

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