Tragic Nightmare: Groom David McCarty and Three Beloved Nieces Perish in Helicopter Crash Hours Before His Wedding
Superior, Arizona – January 8, 2026 – What was meant to be a joyful pre-wedding celebration turned into unimaginable tragedy on January 2, 2026, when pilot and soon-to-be groom David McCarty, 59, and his three young nieces were killed in a helicopter crash in Telegraph Canyon near Superior, Arizona.
David, an experienced helicopter pilot and owner of Columbia Basin Helicopters in La Grande, Oregon, had traveled to Arizona with his fiancĂ©e Joelleen Linstrom for their wedding ceremony. Family members had gathered to celebrate the occasion, including David’s three nieces: sisters Rachel McCarty, 23, and Faith McCarty, 21, and their cousin Katelyn Heideman, 21.
In a loving gesture hours before the vows, David offered the young women a short scenic flight over the stunning Arizona landscape. The group departed in a MD 369FF helicopter, but the flight ended in catastrophe when the aircraft struck a high-tension recreational slackline stretched across the canyon more than 600 feet above the ground. The collision caused the helicopter to plummet, killing all four occupants instantly.
The slackline – a popular but potentially hazardous recreational setup – had been marked with flags and was noted in a prior FAA notice to airmen (NOTAM), yet the impact proved fatal. The International Slackline Association expressed deep sorrow, stating that the markers were intended to ensure visibility for low-flying aircraft.
David was widely regarded as a skilled and safety-conscious pilot with decades of experience in challenging operations, including firefighting support and heavy-lift logging. The nieces, from close-knit communities in Eastern Oregon (Echo and Hermiston), were vibrant young women full of promise. Rachel and Faith shared a strong sisterly bond and athletic spirit; Katelyn was building a photography business, capturing countless joyful moments for others.
Family members described the loss as shattering. Elizabeth Gallup, sister to Rachel and Faith, wrote: “They went out for a helicopter ride… The helicopter crashed and they never got the chance to come home.” Mary Jane Heideman, Katelyn’s mother, shared profound grief: “They were all so loved… The girls had such bright futures.”
The wedding celebration never took place. Instead, family and friends held vigils and memorials in Oregon and Arizona, lighting candles and sharing stories of the four lives cut short. The community mourned not only the couple’s lost future but the young women’s unfulfilled dreams – careers, love, adventures – all extinguished in seconds.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) continues its investigation into the crash, examining factors including visibility, altitude, the slackline’s placement, and any contributing mechanical or environmental conditions.
Hypothetically, had the helicopter flown slightly higher, or the slackline been more prominently marked, or the flight delayed by even minutes, the day might have ended in wedding vows, laughter, and toasts rather than sorrow. The tragedy underscores the unpredictable dangers of low-level flight in recreational areas and the fragility of joy.
As the families grieve, David McCarty and his nieces – Rachel, Faith, and Katelyn – are remembered not by the crash, but by the love they shared, the adventures they embraced, and the light they brought to those around them. On a day that should have been forever, their story became one of heartbreaking loss – a reminder to cherish every moment.
