Pilot dies alongside 3 nieces on wedding day in tragic Arizona helicopter crash

A chopper clang successful a distant Arizona canyon killed a section antheral and his 3 nieces connected his wedding time aft the craft seemingly struck a slackline strung crossed the terrain, authorities said.

FOX 10 successful Phoenix reported that the victims of the crash, which happened Friday, were identified by household members.

The clang happened adjacent Superior successful Pinal County, eastbound of the Phoenix area, soon aft the chopper took disconnected from Pegasus Airpark. All 4 radical connected committee were killed erstwhile the craft plunged to the canyon floor.

Family members said the aviator was David McCarty, a Queen Creek antheral primitively from Oregon, who was flying his nieces – Katelyn Heideman and sisters Rachel and Faith McCarty, each successful their aboriginal 20s – to spot the sights earlier his wedding ceremony.

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David McCarty died successful a chopper clang successful Superior, Ariz., connected Jan. 2, 2026. (Joelleen Linstrom via Facebook)

Eyewitnesses told household members they saw the helicopter’s blades detach moments earlier it plunged to the canyon floor.

Relatives said McCarty was an experienced aviator who owned aggregate helicopters and had flown the canyon galore times without incident, adding that the abbreviated formation was meant to beryllium a joyful outing up of what was expected to beryllium a celebratory day.

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Rachel McCarty died successful a chopper clang successful Superior, Ariz., connected Jan. 2, 2026. (Rachel McCarty via Facebook)

"The families mislaid 50% of their children connected the wedding day, which was expected to beryllium a celebration," a household subordinate told FOX 10 Phoenix. "It’s highly tough. Nobody ever anticipates this benignant of happening to happen, and it’s conscionable heart-wrenching."

The nonaccomplishment has rippled done the family’s hometown of Echo, Oregon, wherever relatives said the close-knit assemblage is struggling to header with the deaths of 3 young women astatine once.

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Katelyn Heideman died successful a chopper clang successful Superior, Ariz., connected Jan. 2, 2026. (Katelyn Heideman via Facebook)

"They’re conscionable struck with grief," a comparative told the station. "When they accidental it takes a colony to rise a child, that’s the epitome of these communities. Everybody had a manus successful raising these girls."

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are presently investigating the clang to find the authoritative cause.