WEDDING DAY TRAGEDY: Pilot and Three Nieces Killed in Arizona Slackline Collision

SUPERIOR, AZ — A celebratory wedding weekend has turned into a scene of unimaginable grief after a private helicopter struck a recreational slackline in a remote Arizona canyon, killing all four family members on board.

The pilot, 59-year-old David McCarty, was scheduled to be married just hours after the Friday morning flight. Instead, he and his three young nieces—Rachel McCarty (23), Faith McCarty (21), and Katelyn Heideman (21)—were pronounced dead at the scene in Telegraph Canyon, approximately 60 miles east of Phoenix.

The Invisible Obstacle

According to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, the MD 369FF helicopter collided with a highline—a type of slackline—that spanned over one kilometer across the mountain range. An eyewitness reported seeing the aircraft strike the webbing before plummeting to the canyon floor.

The slackline had been legally registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) had been issued on December 21, 2025, warning pilots of the 2,800-foot-long obstruction. Despite the slackliners attaching fluorescent aviation markers to the line, the incident has reignited a fierce debate over the visibility of such wires and the effectiveness of the aging NOTAM system.

A Family Decimated

The victims were all from a close-knit community in Eastern Oregon. McCarty, an experienced pilot and owner of Columbia Basin Helicopters, was treating his nieces to a sightseeing tour before his wedding ceremony.

“The families lost 50% of their children on a day that was supposed to be a celebration,” a relative stated. Rachel and Faith were sisters; Katelyn was their cousin.

NTSB Investigation Underway

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA reached the remote wreckage on foot due to the rugged terrain. While the slackline is a “likely” factor, federal investigators have moved the wreckage to a secure facility to examine potential mechanical failures. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days, though a final determination could take up to two years.