On Sunday morning, the Eloy Police Department confirmed that four people were killed and one was critically injured in the hot air balloon crash in Arizona.
The crash happened in Pinal County, a rural desert area about five miles north of town, at 7:30 am local time.
The officials in Eloy reported that the balloon came down around 7:50 am local time in the desert area east of Sunshine Boulevard and Hanna Road. Eloy is about 65 miles southeast of Phoenix.
According to ABC Arizona, the mayor of Eloy confirmed that eight skydivers, four passengers, and a pilot were in the hot air balloon at the time of the crash.
One person was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, and the other three victims died at the hospital. The fifth person is still in critical condition at Valley Hospital.
The witnesses reported that the skydivers exited the hot air balloon, and the balloon appeared to be flying up and down before the impact occurred. The police have not yet publicly identified the victims in the balloon crash.
The police said they are investigating the crash alongside the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to determine the cause of the fatal collision. Initially, the NTSB identified the aircraft as a Cameron Balloons A160. However, on Monday, they revised their statement and stated that it was actually a Kubicek BB 85 Z.
"The preliminary information is that the balloon impacted desert terrain following an unspecified problem with its envelope," an NTSB spokesperson said.
NTSB officials stated that an unidentified problem with the hot air balloon's envelope caused the crash. Furthermore, the aircraft will be sent to a secure location for additional evaluation.
Pilot Dies From Hot Air Balloon
A hot air balloon pilot in Bradford, Vermont, died in 2021 after getting caught under the basket and falling to the ground. According to CNN, Vermont State Police (VSP) identified the pilot as 72-year-old Brian Boland of Post Mills, Vermont.
The hot air balloon departed on Thursday afternoon with four passengers and Boland on board. The basket toppled over, and one of the four passengers fell out but was not injured.
The police said Boland became entangled in gear affixed to the balloon as it re-ascended while the basket toppled. Boland also became entrapped underneath the basket, eventually falling to the ground from a height. The VSP claimed that Boland landed in a field and was pronounced dead on the scene.
Furthermore, the balloon continued to sail north for about 1.5 miles before crossing state lines and getting trapped in trees in Piermont, New Hampshire. The VSP added that the remaining three passengers could climb down safely, and none were injured.
