Groom and his three young nieces killed just hours before wedding after helicopter crashes in Arizona mountains

Four members of the same family including a groom who was about to be married in a matter of hours have been killed in a helicopter crash in Arizona.

Pilot David McCarty, 59, had taken his three nieces out for a ride in the private aircraft on Friday just moments before he was due to say ‘I do’ to fiancée Joelleen Linstrom.

McCarty died along with Rachel McCarty, 22, Faith McCarty, 21, and Katelyn Heideman, 21, when the helicopter went down at around 11am in the rugged terrain of Telegraph Canyon, roughly 64 miles east of Phoenix.

The crash appears to have occurred after the aircraft struck a recreational slackline strung across the mountains.

Investigators say the line stretched more than half a mile across the canyon.

‘An eyewitness who called 911 reported seeing the helicopter strike a portion of the line before falling to the bottom of the canyon,’ the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

McCarty was due to tie the knot with Linstrom but had taken his nieces for a ride ahead of the ceremony, family said.

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Pilot and groom David McCarty, 59, was among four members killed in a horror helicopter crash on his wedding day. He died hours before he was to marry Joelleen Linstrom, pictured

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Katelyn Heideman, 21, was killed in the crash alongside her uncle and two cousins when the helicopter went down in the rugged mountains east of Phoenix

The couple got engaged in September last year, according to their social media profiles.

A heartbroken Linstrom posted a photo of McCarty fishing in tribute following the deadly crash.

Keith Holloway, a spokesman for the NTSB, said in an email that the helicopter ‘impacted wires and terrain under unknown circumstances,’ adding that investigators are working to determine how the slackline came to be placed across the flight path and whether it was visible to pilots.

No highliners were present at the time of the collision. The International Slackline Association (ISA) said the highline had aviation markers attached to it and that the FAA had been informed with a NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions) having been issued before the collision barring pilots from flying nearby.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident.

According to investigators, one of the helicopter’s rotor blades may have separated after striking the line, causing the aircraft to overturn before slamming falling to the bottom of the canyon.

Due to the extreme terrain and isolation of the crash site, deputies and search-and-rescue teams were unable to reach the wreckage for several hours.

The helicopter was identified by the Federal Aviation Administration as an MD 369FF.

It had taken off earlier that morning from an airport in Queen Creek, a Phoenix suburb where McCarty also owned a home.

Officials said crews did not arrive on foot until around 5pm with the deaths of those onboard confirmed later that evening.

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Rachel McCarty, 22, was among the four people killed when the private helicopter she was riding in crashed in the remote Arizona mountains

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Faith McCarty, 21, was also killed along with her cousins and uncle after the group took a helicopter ride just before McCarty was due to get married

 The FAA issued a temporary flight restriction over the area while recovery and investigative operations were underway.

‘Our prayers are with the victims and their families,’ the sheriff’s office said.

McCarty was a longtime aviation professional and the owner of Columbia Basin Helicopters, a company he founded in 1997 and operated out of La Grande.

The business specializes in aerial operations, according to its website. Friends and family said he was an experienced pilot and deeply devoted to his loved ones.

‘They were all so loved,’ Mary Jane Heideman, the mother of Katelyn and aunt to Rachel and Faith said to The Arizona Republic.

‘The girls had such bright futures. It’s just hard to fathom this.’

Another of McCarty’s nieces, Elizabeth Gallup, posted a heartbreaking message online as news of the crash spread.

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Katelyn Heideman, 21, was traveling with close family members when the helicopter went down in the rugged terrain of Telegraph Canyon

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Rachel McCarty died alongside her sisters and cousin in the crash, officials said

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Deputies and search-and-rescue teams were unable to reach the wreckage for several hours due to the challenging terrain

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Emergency services with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office posted photos of their presence at the scene of the crash but did not show photos of the wreckage

‘Many have heard about the unimaginable losses in my family today of my Uncle David McCarty, my cousin Katelyn Heideman, and my two baby sisters Rachel and Faith,’ the post read.

‘They went out for a helicopter ride in Arizona. The helicopter crashed and they never got the chance to come home.’

‘My family and I want to thank you all for the positive thoughts, prayers, calls, and text messages,’ the message continued.

‘Please continue to pray over every single family member as we process this heartbreak. All the love and support is welcome. We truly have no words right now. They are all in heaven together.’

Tragedy in the Arizona Mountains: Groom and Three Nieces Killed in Helicopter Crash on Wedding Day

On January 2, 2026, a day meant for celebration turned into unimaginable heartbreak when a private helicopter crashed in the remote Telegraph Canyon near Superior, Arizona, killing all four people on board. The victims were identified as pilot David McCarty, 59, a businessman from Queen Creek, Arizona, originally from Oregon, and his three young nieces: Rachel McCarty (approximately 23), Faith McCarty (21), and Katelyn Heideman (21-22). The flight was a pre-wedding sightseeing trip, just hours before McCarty was scheduled to marry his fiancée, Joelleen Linstrom.

The MD 369FF helicopter, owned by McCarty, had departed from Pegasus Airpark in Queen Creek shortly before the incident around 11 a.m. local time. Preliminary investigations by the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) and eyewitness accounts indicate the aircraft struck a recreational slackline—a long, taut webbing used for highlining—stretched more than one kilometer across the canyon. An eyewitness reported seeing the rotor blades hit the line, causing them to shear off before the helicopter plummeted to the rugged canyon floor.

Emergency responders faced challenging terrain, hiking to the wreckage and confirming the four fatalities later that evening. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are leading the ongoing investigation. Notably, the FAA had issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) warning pilots of the highline obstruction in the area a week prior, and the International Slackline Association stated that aviation markers were attached to the line, with no highliners present at the time.

McCarty was an experienced pilot and founder of Columbia Basin Helicopters, a La Grande, Oregon-based company specializing in power-line construction, logging, firefighting, and aircraft recovery since the late 1990s. He owned multiple helicopters and had residences in both Oregon and Arizona. Family members described him as deeply familiar with the canyon, having flown it numerous times without issue. The short flight was intended as a joyful outing to share the scenic views with his visiting nieces ahead of the wedding festivities.

The three young women, all from Oregon and close-knit cousins and sisters, were remembered fondly by relatives. Rachel and Faith McCarty were sisters, while Katelyn Heideman was their cousin. Mary Jane Heideman, Katelyn’s mother and aunt to Rachel and Faith, told The Arizona Republic: “They were all so loved. The girls had such bright futures. It’s just hard to fathom this.” Katelyn was noted for her strong Christian faith and budding photography business, having captured thousands of family and engagement photos in recent years.

In a poignant social media post, surviving niece Elizabeth Gallup shared the family’s devastation: “Many have heard about the unimaginable losses in my family today of my Uncle David McCarty, my cousin Katelyn Heideman, and my two baby sisters Rachel and Faith. They went out for a helicopter ride in Arizona. The helicopter crashed and they never got the chance to come home.” She expressed gratitude for support and asked for continued prayers, adding, “We truly have no words right now. They are all in heaven together.”

Another family member told FOX 10 Phoenix: “The families lost 50% of their children on the wedding day, which was supposed to be a celebration. It’s extremely tough.”

The extended McCarty family had gathered in Arizona for the wedding weekend, turning what was anticipated as a joyful reunion into profound grief. No broader community threat has been indicated, and the crash appears to be a tragic accident stemming from the low-altitude flight encountering the unmarked hazard despite warnings.

This incident highlights ongoing concerns about recreational highlines in popular outdoor areas like Apache Leap near Superior, a spot favored by climbers and slackliners. While properly permitted lines require FAA notifications, visibility and enforcement remain challenges for low-flying aircraft.

As the NTSB examines the wreckage—moved to a secure facility—the families focus on mourning and supporting one another. Tributes have poured in for the victims, described as loving, vibrant individuals with promising lives ahead. The bride-to-be, Joelleen Linstrom, and the broader family have requested privacy during this difficult time.

The crash serves as a somber reminder of aviation risks in remote, recreational terrains, leaving a community in Oregon and Arizona grappling with sudden loss on what should have been a day of new beginnings.

Reports of a final two-word message from the groom to the bride found at the scene, or any detail causing particular distress to investigators, have not been confirmed by official sources or credible reporting as of January 7, 2026. If such an element emerges from the investigation, it could hypothetically add an emotional layer to the tragedy, but currently, it remains unverified amid circulating speculation.