Groom, three nieces killed when chopper hits slackline in canyon hours before wedding

A sightseeing helicopter piloted by an Oregon businessman slammed into a slackline just hours before he was set to be married — killing him and three nieces in a gut-wrenching New Year tragedy.

David McCarty, 59, was flying his relatives in his private MD 369FF helicopter through remote Telegraph Canyon near Superior, Ariz., just east of Phoenix around 11 a.m. Friday when the aircraft struck a recreational highline strung across the mountains, authorities said.

“He just wanted to show his family around,” a relative told FOX 10 Phoenix.

The impact sent the helicopter plunging to the canyon floor, killing everyone on board.

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David McCarty, 59, was killed just before his wedding to Joelleen Linstrom.Joelleen M. Linstrom/FacebookMcCarty, the owner of Columbia Basin Helicopters, died alongside his nieces Rachel McCarty, 23, Faith McCarty, 21, and Katelyn Heideman, 22.

The four were from Oregon and were in Arizona for what was meant to be a celebratory family weekend, according to the East Oregonian.

The crash happened just hours before McCarty was scheduled to marry his fiancée, Joelleen Linstrom.

The helicopter, which departed from Pegasus Airpark in Queen Creek, struck the slackline mid-flight just south of Superior, the Arizona Republic reported.

A witness reported seeing the rotor blades shear off before the aircraft dropped into the rugged canyon terrain below.

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Rachel McCarty, 23, died alongside her sister, cousin and uncle when their helicopter plunged into an Arizona canyon.Rachel McCarty/Facebook
Search-and-rescue crews were forced to hike into the area because of its remote location. Deputies reached the wreckage around 5 p.m., and all four victims were pronounced dead later that evening, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office said.

McCarty was an experienced pilot who had flown the canyon many times before without incident, relatives told reporters.

He founded Columbia Basin Helicopters in the mid- to late 1990s and built a business specializing in power-line construction, logging, firefighting and aircraft recovery.

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Faith McCarty, 21, was also among the victims of the helicopter crash.
The company is based in La Grande, Ore., with a satellite operation in Queen Creek, Ariz., where McCarty also maintained a home. Family members said he owned multiple helicopters and was deeply familiar with the area’s terrain.

Rachel and Faith McCarty were sisters. Katelyn Heideman was their cousin and also McCarty’s niece. All three young women were described by relatives as close-knit and deeply connected to their small Oregon communities.

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

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Katelyn Heideman, 22, has been identified as one of four fatalities.Katelyn Heideman/Facebook
Mary Jane Heideman, Katelyn’s mother, said the loss was overwhelming.

“They were all so loved. The girls had such bright futures. It’s just hard to fathom this,” she said.

Another niece, Elizabeth Gallup, wrote in a public message that the family was struggling to process the sudden loss of four loved ones who “never got the chance to come home.”

Federal investigators are examining how a slackline — more than half a mile long — came to be stretched across an active flight area.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating alongside the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office. An NTSB investigator was expected to arrive at the site the following day, with the wreckage to be transported to a secure facility for analysis.

Preliminary information indicates the line had aviation markers attached.

The International Slackline Association said the FAA had been notified of the highline and that a Notice to Air Missions, or NOTAM, had been issued warning pilots of a flagged and lighted rope obstruction about 600 feet above ground level.

The Canyon Held Its Secret for Hours: Heartbreaking Discovery in Telegraph Canyon After Helicopter Crash Claims Four Family Members

On January 2, 2026, what began as a joyful pre-wedding sightseeing flight over Arizona’s stunning landscapes turned into unimaginable tragedy. Experienced pilot David McCarty, 59, an Oregon businessman and owner of Columbia Basin Helicopters, took three of his beloved nieces—Rachel McCarty, 23, Faith McCarty, 21, and Katelyn Heideman, 21—on a scenic helicopter ride ahead of his wedding ceremony later that day.

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The group, all from small communities in Eastern Oregon, had gathered in Arizona to celebrate McCarty’s upcoming marriage to fiancée Joelleen Linstrom. McCarty, who also owned a home in Queen Creek near Phoenix, wanted to share the breathtaking views with his young relatives during a quick flight in his private MD 369FF helicopter.

Around 11 a.m., as the chopper flew through remote Telegraph Canyon—a rugged area south of Superior, about 65 miles east of Phoenix—disaster struck. Preliminary investigations by the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) and eyewitness accounts indicate the helicopter collided with a recreational slackline (also known as a highline), a long nylon webbing strap strung more than a kilometer across the canyon for extreme tightrope walking.

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An eyewitness called 911 after seeing the aircraft strike the line, causing it to plummet to the canyon floor. The impact was catastrophic: all four on board perished instantly.

The remote and treacherous terrain of Telegraph Canyon delayed rescue efforts for hours. Search-and-rescue teams, including deputies from PCSO, had to hike into the steep, isolated site because helicopter access was initially impossible. They reached the wreckage around 5 p.m., confirming the four fatalities that evening.

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What rescuers found at the bottom sent shivers through even seasoned responders: the mangled remains of the helicopter scattered across the rocky canyon floor, with no survivors. The scene underscored the sudden violence of the crash, turning a moment of family joy into profound loss.

Family members quickly identified the victims. Rachel and Faith McCarty were sisters from Echo, Oregon; Katelyn Heideman, their cousin from Hermiston, was also McCarty’s niece. The young women were remembered as vibrant, faith-filled athletes with promising futures.

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Rachel and Faith were standout multi-sport athletes at Echo High School, excelling in basketball, volleyball, softball, and track. Katelyn, a Hermiston High graduate, played basketball and earned a scholarship to the University of Providence in Montana. She had recently launched a photography business, capturing over 2,000 images of proposals, engagements, and family moments in 2025 alone. “She had such a talent with photography,” her mother, Mary Jane Heideman—who is also aunt to Rachel and Faith—told The Arizona Republic. “The girls had such bright futures. It’s just hard to fathom this.”

David McCarty was a respected figure in Eastern Oregon, known for his decades of helicopter piloting experience and community ties. Friends described him as an inspiration, with one lifelong acquaintance noting his deep roots in the region.

The tragedy devastated an extended family already gathered for celebration. Elizabeth Gallup, sister to Rachel and Faith, posted on social media: “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… We truly have no words right now. They are all in heaven together.”

Mary Jane Heideman added: “They were all so loved.” The crash has raised questions about slacklining safety. The line, over 600 feet high, had aviation markers and was noted in a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM). Yet critics argue oversight of highlines in remote areas is insufficient, especially as the extreme sport grows in popularity.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA are investigating, with a full report expected to take months. No one was on the slackline at the time, and the International Slackline Association expressed condolences.

Communities in Oregon rallied in grief. Echo High School planned a vigil, and tributes poured in for the close-knit family. The incident serves as a stark reminder of how quickly joy can turn to sorrow in remote wilderness areas.

As investigations continue, the canyon’s secret—revealed only after hours of arduous rescue—has left families, friends, and a nation mourning four lives full of promise, cut short on what should have been a day of happiness.