Who are the four victims of the Arizona hot air balloon crash? Identities explored as police try to find the cause of skydiving accident

A tragic hot air balloon crash took place on Sunday, January 14, 2024. The incident took place in the desert area east of Sunshine Boulevard and Hanna Road in Eloy, Arizona, claiming the lives of four people. The crash occurred around 7:50 a.m. local time, leaving one person critically injured out of the five individuals on board, as reported by the Eloy Police Department.

The balloon had earlier taken off with eight skydivers and five other passengers, intending to reach the Eloy Municipal Airport, a renowned skydiving center. Fortunately, the skydivers safely exited the balloon before the tragic event unfolded.

The victims of the tragic crash have been identified as Chayton Wiescholek, 28, from Union City, Michigan; Kaitlynn Bartrom, 28, from Andrews, Indiana; Atahan Kiliccote, 24, from Cupertino, California; and Cornelius Van Der Walt, 37, the pilot residing in Eloy, originally from South Africa. Another passenger, Valerie Stutterheim, 23, from Scottsdale, Arizona, remains critically injured.

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Problem in hot air balloon's envelope, reason for crash

CBS News reported that Eloy Police Chief Byron Gwaltney stated the balloon crashed following an unspecified problem with its envelope, leading to the tragic accident. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are working alongside local authorities to investigate the cause of the crash.

Despite the initial identification as a Cameron Balloons A160, the NTSB later corrected it to a Kubicek BB 85 Z. 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 NTSB has retrieved an electronic device and a video camera from the crash site, intending to analyze them for potential flight information. Currently, a comprehensive evaluation of the balloon's envelope is underway, and a preliminary report is anticipated within two to three weeks.

Operated by Droplyne Hot Air Balloon Rides, the tragic hot air balloon was involved in this tragic crash, adding to a series of other hot air balloon accidents, including incidents earlier this year in Mexico City and in 2021 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

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Families of the victims of air balloon crash expressed grief

Rhonda Wiescholek, Chayton Wiescholek's mother, expressed her grief, stating that her son was on vacation with his girlfriend, who was one of the skydivers. Describing her son as an outdoors enthusiast and part-time DJ, she emphasized his happiness with his girlfriend.

Rhonda also said,

"There’s not a whole bunch more you can say. You’re just broken"

Kaitlynn Bartrom, another victim, was a registered nurse who loved adventure. The pilot, Cornelius Van Der Walt, was the owner of Droplyne, which operates daily rides in Eloy during the winter and in Moab, Utah, during the summer.

It is also worth noting that a GoFundMe page has been set up to assist with Chayton Wiescholek's funeral expenses.