Who was David McCarty? Oregon businessman, 3 nieces killed in Arizona helicopter crash hours before his wedding
David McCarty, 59, and his three young nieces, were killed after a sightseeing helicopter piloted by him slammed into a slackline.
An Oregon businessman and his three nieces were killed in a New Year tragedy after a sightseeing helicopter piloted by him slammed into a slackline just hours before he was set to tie the knot. The businessman, 59-year-old David McCarty, was flying his relatives in his private MD 369FF helicopter through remote Telegraph Canyon near Superior, Arizona, just east of Phoenix around 11 am on Friday, January 2, when the chopper struck a recreational highline strung across the mountains, according to authorities.
“He just wanted to show his family around,” a relative told Fox 10 Phoenix.
The helicopter was sent plunging to the canyon floor, killing everyone on board.
McCarty died alongside his nieces Rachel McCarty, 23, Faith McCarty, 21, and Katelyn Heideman, 22.
Who was David McCarty?
McCarty was the owner of Columbia Basin Helicopters, a business specializing in power-line construction, logging, firefighting and aircraft recovery. An experienced pilot, he had flown the canyon many times before without incident, relatives said. McCarty founded Columbia Basin Helicopters in the mid-to-late 1990s, per the New York Post.
The company is based in La Grande, Oregon, with a satellite operation in Queen Creek, Arizona, where McCarty had a home. According to his family members, he owned several helicopters and was familiar with the area’s terrain.
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The four victims, from Oregon, were in Arizona for what was meant to be a celebratory family weekend, the East Oregonian reported. The crash took place just hours before McCarty was set to marry his fiancée, Joelleen Linstrom. The helicopter departed from Pegasus Airpark in Queen Creek before striking the slackline mid-flight just south of Superior, according to the Arizona Republic.
A witness said they saw the rotor blades shear off before the chopper dropped. Search-and-rescue crews had to hike into the rugged canyon terrain because of its remote location. Deputies reached the wreckage around 5 pm. All four victims were pronounced dead later that evening, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office said.
What we know about the other victims
Rachel and Faith were sisters, and Katelyn was their cousin and also McCarty’s niece. Relatives said the young women were close-knit and deeply connected to their small Oregon communities, according to the New York Post.
“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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Mary Jane Heideman, Katelyn’s mother, said, “They were all so loved. The girls had such bright futures. It’s just hard to fathom this.”
Another niece, Elizabeth Gallup, wrote in a Facebook post, “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 added, “My family and I want to thank you all for the positive thoughts, prayers, calls, and text messages.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.”
Federal investigators are now trying to determine how a slackline, which was more than half a mile long, was stretched across an active flight area. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident alongside the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office.
As per preliminary information, the line had aviation markers attached. The International Slackline Association said the FAA had been informed about the highline. It also said that a Notice to Air Missions, or NOTAM, had been issued to warn pilots of a flagged and lighted rope obstruction about 600 feet above ground level.
