New Mexico: Five people died due to hot air balloon crash in 2021, now big disclosure about the pilot

A hot air balloon crash in New Mexico in 2021 killed all five people aboard. Now investigators have reported that the pilot had multiple drugs in his system, including cocaine.

In its final report released this week, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said pilot Nicholas Meleski did not maintain sufficient clearance from power lines when attempting to land. Because of this, he collided with power lines and a busy intersection.

The report said investigators found no evidence of mechanical malfunction or failure. The report states that the amounts of cocaine and marijuana found in the pilot's system suggest 'recent use', which is likely to have had a 'harmful effect', which contributed to the crash on June 26, 2021.

Meleski's family told Albuquerque station KOB-TV in a statement that their condolences are with the families of passengers Mary Martinez, her husband Martin, and their friends Susan and John Montoya. "We cannot express enough the depth of our sorrow for the pain this accident has caused," the statement said.

Witnesses also told investigators that after hitting power lines, the balloon's envelope separated from the basket and floated away. It was found south of the crash site. Martin Martinez worked first as a police officer for the City of Albuquerque and then for its public school system.

Mary Martinez, a mother of two, is remembered for helping people. Susan Montoya was an assistant school principal and her husband worked with special education students.

Federal officials said the hot balloon crash was the deadliest in New Mexico's history and the second deadliest in the US since 2016. Albuquerque is home to an annual international balloon festival, which attracts hundreds of pilots and thousands of spectators every October.