Helicopter crashes into slackline in Arizona, killing all passengers
The slackline, described as “more than one kilometer long,” was set up for a highlining activity, according to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office. A witness said they saw “the helicopter strike a portion of the line before falling to the bottom of the canyon.”
Officials noted that the slackliners had filed a formal aviation safety notice, raising questions about whether the pilot was aware of the alert. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined, and investigators are actively probing the incident, with an official report expected within 30 days.
Slacklines are long, strong strips of fabric stretched above the ground. Unlike a tightrope, they have less tension, allowing participants to bounce and sway while crossing. Highlines are slacklines set at great heights for extreme activities.
“Preliminary evidence indicates a recreational slackline more than one kilometer long had been strung across the mountain range,” near Telegraph Canyon, east of Phoenix, stated a sheriff’s release on January 2, the day of the crash.
The victims were confirmed to be family members from Oregon. Pilot David McCarty, 59, was killed along with his nieces Rachel McCarty, 23, Faith McCarty, 21, and Katelyn Heideman, 21.
Investigators have transported the helicopter wreckage to a “secure facility for further examination,” according to officials leading the probe, including the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
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