Hot Air Balloon Pilot’s Use of 'Impairing' Drugs, Including Cocaine, Contributed to Crash That Killed 5: NTSB

"Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of the passengers," the pilot's family said in a statement

A hot air balloon pilot's drug use contributed to a 2021 crash in New Mexico that killed all five people on board, according to an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The NTSB said that pilot Nicholas Meleski didn't maintain enough distance from power lines as he tried to land, according to their final report, which was published last week and obtained by PEOPLE. After crashing into the power line the hot air balloon caught fire and crashed into a busy street.

"The pilot was conducting a sightseeing flight, with four passengers on board the balloon," the NTSB wrote. "Near the conclusion of the flight, the pilot maneuvered the balloon to land in an open field across a major intersection."

The NTSB shared that the probable cause of the crash was the pilot's failure "to maintain adequate clearance from power lines while maneuvering for landing."

"Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s use of impairing, illicit drugs," they added.

Related: 2 Dead and 1 Injured After Hot Air Balloon Catches Fire in Mexico City

The pilot had cocaine and marijuana in his system and the amount of the drugs detected suggested "recent use," the NTSB added.

"Some impairing effects of THC would likely have been present, that would have affected the pilot’s ability to successfully operate the balloon," officials wrote in the report.

The NTSB found there was no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures.

Related: 5 Dead After Hot Air Balloon Crashes into Power Lines in New Mexico

In addition to the pilot, officer Martin Martinez, wife Mary Martinez and their friends Susan Montoya, an assistant school principal, and her husband John Montoya, who worked with special education students, were killed in the crash, per the Associated Press.

Their cause of death was blunt force trauma, per the NTSB's report.

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Following the release of the report, the pilot's family shared a statement.

"We cannot express the depth of our grief and sadness for the pain this accident has caused — our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of the passengers," Meleski's family told NBC affiliate KOB-TV. "We want to also thank the entire hot air ballooning community of New Mexico and across the world."

"The outpouring of love and support has been overwhelming and we continue to grieve with you," his family added. "Nick loved this community so dearly, and our family will continue to support the sport any way we can."

Related: Newlyweds Among 16 Victims of Texas Hot Air Balloon Crash

Albuquerque has been dubbed the "hot air ballooning capital of the world," with optimal year-round conditions for ballooning. The city hosts the weeklong Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta every October, which sees about 600 balloons cover the sky, according to the event's website.

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