An Arizona hot air balloon pilot had ketamine in his bloodstream following a deadly crash in January, amended autopsy findings reveal. Initial toxicology reports claimed first responders did not administer the drug to Cornelius van der Walt, pilot and founder of Droplyne Hot Air Balloon Rides. However, a corrected version states the anesthetic was indeed given by emergency crews, as detailed in a report from FOX 10 Phoenix.
The amended report, indicated that "According to a report received on April 5, 2024, 35mg of ketamine was administered to the decedent at a concentration of 500mg/10ml at 9:14am on the day of the incident by Air Evac Services," shedding light on the presence of the substance in van der Walt's system. While it remains unclear if ketamine was a factor in the accident, a separate study suggested that lower levels than what were found in van der Walt's blood could impair drivers, with possible adverse effects such as hallucinations and irrational behavior, ABC 15 reported.
The catastrophic accident, which took place in Eloy, Arizona, resulted in the death of van der Walt and three passengers, while critically injuring another woman from Scottsdale. The National Transportation Safety Board has stated that it could take up to a year, to complete their investigation into the crash. Victims of the crash included 28-year-olds Kaitlynn "Katie" Bartrom and Chayton Wiescholek, as well as 24-year-old Atahan Kiliccote.
In a statement on its website, Droplyne Hot Air Balloon Rides expressed condolences and announced halting its operations post-accident. Before the tragedy, the company boasted a perfect safety record since its founding in 2017. This incident has rekindled scrutiny regarding drug testing for commercial balloon pilots, despite a 2022 Federal Aviation Administration rule requiring medical certificates only for those ferrying paying passengers. It has not been confirmed if van der Walt held such a certificate, at the time of the crash.
