Hot Air Balloon Pilot Had Ketamine in His System at the Time of Crash That Killed 4, Report Says

PHOENIX—A hot air balloon pilot had an elevated level of an anesthetic in his system at the time of a January crash that killed four people in southern Arizona, according to a newly released autopsy report. Toxicology tests showed Cornelius van der Walt had a high amount of ketamine in his blood when the balloon plummeted about 2,000 feet (609 meters) to the desert floor, the report from the Pinal County Medical Examiner’s Office said. While more clinics in recent years have offered ketamine as a treatment for pain, depression, anxiety, and other conditions, the report noted there was no known ketamine prescription issued to van der Walt. First responders did not use it while trying to resuscitate him, the report said....