Overview
- Four people were killed on January 2 when a helicopter crashed in Telegraph Canyon near Superior, Arizona, after an eyewitness reported the aircraft hit a slackline.
- The helicopter departed Pegasus Airpark in Queen Creek, and no one was on the highline at the time of the collision, according to authorities and organizers.
- The line was reported to span roughly a kilometer across the canyon and was fitted with aviation markers, with a NOTAM active from December 21 to January 6 warning pilots to stay about a mile away.
- A safety expert said the NOTAM was tied to Superior Airport, which might have limited visibility to a pilot who did not file for that area, noting the FAA’s alert system is being upgraded.
- The NTSB is leading the investigation with FAA participation and expects a preliminary report within 30 days, as relatives identified the victims as pilot David McCarty, 59, and three nieces: Rachel, 23; Faith, 21; and Katelyn Heideman, 21.