Fatal hot air balloon crash in Arizona may be linked to a faulty 'envelope'
An “unspecified problem” with the balloon portion of a hot air balloon may have led to Sunday’s crash in the Arizona desert that left four people dead and another critically injured, federal authorities said Tuesday.
ELOY, Ariz. — An “unspecified problem” with the "envelope" of a hot air balloon may have led to Sunday’s crash in the Arizona desert that left four people dead and another critically injured, federal authorities said Tuesday.
The "envelope" is the bag that fills with hot air to make the balloon rise.
The National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement that investigators had not found any mechanical anomalies. They separated the balloon from the basket, which carries passengers, and “everything appears to be intact.”
“An electronic device that could have relevant flight information and a video camera have been sent to NTSB headquarters in Washington, D.C., for further analysis,” the agency said. The balloon’s maintenance records and information on the pilot’s flight experience have been collected.
Eloy police said the Federal Aviation Administration also was assisting in the investigation.
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