AZ - Four (4) Killed in Hot Air Balloon Crash - Eloy, Pinal County - 14 January 2024

[Richrd]

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[Stock Photo from Droplyne Website]

Local – NBC Boston

In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston and New England area.

www.necn.com

[Aerial Video shows largely-intact Envelope and Basket]

4 dead in Arizona hot air balloon crash

A fifth person was seriously injured when the balloon crashed Sunday morning in Eloy. There were also skydivers aboard, who jumped before any problems were evident.

www.nbcnews.com

Aviation Safety.Net 349900:

Loss of control Accident Kubicek BB85Z N4961D, Sunday 14 January 2024

On January 14, 2024, about 0747 mountain standard time, a Kubicek BB85Z balloon, N4961D, was involved in an accident near Eloy, Arizona. The pilot and three passengers were fatally injure...

aviation-safety.net

Google Search

Eloy Police Department:

Eloy Police Department | Eloy AZ

Eloy Police Department, Eloy. 10,168 likes · 634 talking about this · 16 were here. The Official Eloy Police Department Facebook Page

www.facebook.com

Deceased:

• Kaitlynn Bartrom, 28
• Atahan Kiliccote, 24
• Cornelius Van Der Walt, 37
• Chayton Wiescholek, 28

Historically:
Causes of Death :: Blunt-Force Trauma
Manners of Death :: Accidental
Mechanisms of Death :: Asphyxia

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[Cryptic]

Hot air balloons are not powered aircraft.

The obvious aside, the lack of power evidently puts them in a "nether world" in regards to safety requirements and pilot training standards that powered aircraft are all required to have.

 

[Richrd]

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Some Balloon Terminology:

Balloon Terminology - Heritage Inn International Balloon Festival

Balloon Terminology There are several different makes of balloons and each brand has a slightly different set up. You should familiarize yourself with the balloon you are working with so you can identify it on a chase.Some of the different kinds are Aerostar, Balloon Works, Cameron, Thunder and...

heritageinninternationalballoonfestival.com

Interesting Experiences, Comments, Opinions,
from Washington Post™ Readers:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/comments?storyUrl=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/01/16/hot-air-balloon-crash-eloy/

Google Search

FAA = Federal Aviation Administration
FPM = Feet-Per-Minute Ascent/Descent
Gondola = Passenger Basket
NTSB = National Transportation Safety Board
RIP = Rest In Peace - Condolences
VFR = Visual Flight Rules


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[tezi]

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Some Balloon Terminology:

Balloon Terminology - Heritage Inn International Balloon Festival

Balloon Terminology There are several different makes of balloons and each brand has a slightly different set up. You should familiarize yourself with the balloon you are working with so you can identify it on a chase.Some of the different kinds are Aerostar, Balloon Works, Cameron, Thunder and...

heritageinninternationalballoonfestival.com

Interesting Experiences, Comments, Opinions,
from Washington Post™ Readers:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/comments?storyUrl=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/01/16/hot-air-balloon-crash-eloy/

Google Search

FAA = Federal Aviation Administration
FPM = Feet-Per-Minute Ascent/Descent
Gondola = Passenger Basket
NTSB = National Transportation Safety Board
RIP = Rest In Peace - Condolences
VFR = Visual Flight Rules


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Thank you for posting this! I have always wanted to go on a hot-air balloon ride, but after seeing all of the accidents and deaths, you couldn't pay me enough to go up in one of them!

 

[musicaljoke]

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View attachment 474979
[Stock Photo from Droplyne Website]

Local – NBC Boston

In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston and New England area.

www.necn.com

[Aerial Video shows largely-intact Envelope and Basket]

4 dead in Arizona hot air balloon crash

A fifth person was seriously injured when the balloon crashed Sunday morning in Eloy. There were also skydivers aboard, who jumped before any problems were evident.

www.nbcnews.com

Aviation Safety.Net 349900:

Loss of control Accident Kubicek BB85Z N4961D, Sunday 14 January 2024

On January 14, 2024, about 0747 mountain standard time, a Kubicek BB85Z balloon, N4961D, was involved in an accident near Eloy, Arizona. The pilot and three passengers were fatally injure...

aviation-safety.net

Google Search

Eloy Police Department:

Eloy Police Department | Eloy AZ

Eloy Police Department, Eloy. 10,168 likes · 634 talking about this · 16 were here. The Official Eloy Police Department Facebook Page

www.facebook.com

Deceased:

• Kaitlynn Bartrom, 28
• Atahan Kiliccote, 24
• Cornelius Van Der Walt, 37
• Chayton Wiescholek, 28

Historically:
Causes of Death :: Blunt-Force Trauma
Manners of Death :: Accidental
Mechanisms of Death :: Asphyxia

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From your link: According to the Eloy police press release there were 13 people were on board the balloon gondola - eight skydivers, one operator and four passengers.

...The incident occurred after the eight skydivers had exited the balloon.

”What we know at this point is the skydivers were able to exit the balloon without incident and completed their planned skydiving event, and then shortly thereafter something catastrophic happened with the balloon causing it to crash to the ground,” said Eloy Police Chief Byron Gwaltney.

According to an eyewitness, the material of the hot air balloon was straight up and down as it came down and the impact was large.

...The aircraft was an A-160 passenger balloon manufactured by Cameron Balloons, according to the NTSB. The model can carry a pilot and up to seven riders, the manufacturer’s website says. CNN has sought comment from Cameron Balloons.

 

[ifindedout]

Survivor has extensive injuries (according to the fundraiser, she currently cannot talk or walk)

Sole Survivor of Hot Air Balloon Crash Lost Brother to Murder 2 Years Ago

The parents of Valerie Stutterheim, the sole survivor of a deadly hot air balloon crash that killed 4, lost their eldest child, Ian Stutterheim, to murder in 2022.

people.com

Valerie Stutterheim, 23, remains in critical condition following the Jan. 14 accident that claimed the lives of four others: Chayton Wiescholek, 28, of Union City, Mich.; Kaitlynn Bartrom, 28, of Andrews, Ind.; Atahan Kiliccote, 24, of Cupertino, Calif.; and the pilot, Cornelius Van Der Walt, 37, of Eloy, Ariz.

Valerie's parents, Tony and Martha Stutterheim, shared in a [fundraiser] page that their daughter suffered a “traumatic brain injury” and has “extensive” injuries.

It's not the first time the Stutterheims have faced tragedy; in 2022, Valerie's older brother, Ian Stutterheim, 25, died in a murder-suicide.