Superior helicopter crash probe to review slackline alert system

A helicopter crash near Superior, Arizona, killed four after striking a slackline; investigation examines FAA alert system failures and NOTAM distribution

Details Emerge from Deadly Helicopter Crash in Pinal County

PINAL COUNTY, Ariz. – New information has surfaced following the deadly helicopter crash outside Superior on Friday.

What We Know

Detail	Information
FAA Alert	Alerted pilots about a slackline in the area.
Slackline Description	A line one kilometer long was strung across the canyon.
Helicopter Departure	Took off from Pegasus Airpark in Queen Creek.
Victims	David McCarty, 59, and three nieces: Katelyn Heidman, Rachel McCarty, and Faith McCarty.
Crash Outcome	Helicopter hit the slackline, killing all four on board.

The FAA informed pilots about a slackline in the area. However, the alert system has faced repeated failures and is currently being upgraded.

A slackline is a line strung between two points, often used by “slackliners.” In this case, the line was one kilometer long and was set up across the canyon near Superior.

The helicopter departed from Pegasus Airpark in Queen Creek and flew to the canyons south of Superior. The alert about the slackline came from Superior Airport, not from where the helicopter took off.

Background Information

David McCarty, 59, was an experienced pilot. He was flying three of his nieces on the morning of his wedding: Katelyn Heidman, Rachel McCarty, and Faith McCarty.

Initial findings indicate that the helicopter struck the slackline, resulting in the deaths of all four individuals on board.

The family identified the victims to FOX 10, stating that McCarty wanted to show his family the sights before the wedding ceremony.

Expert Opinions

“Keeping track of everything going on in our airspace is a very big challenge,” said Cary Grant, a safety expert at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Grant noted that there was a NOTAM in place for the slackline. A NOTAM is a “Notice to Air Missions” that warns pilots to be cautious. However, the helicopter took off from Queen Creek, while the NOTAM was linked to Superior Airport.

“If the pilot didn’t indicate he was flying near Superior, he wouldn’t have seen the NOTAM at all,” Grant explained.

Investigation Updates

The FAA has been updating the NOTAM system for months, with a full upgrade expected in the spring. Grant mentioned that the NTSB will investigate the pilot, the helicopter, and the slackliners.

“The NTSB will look at the whole process,” Grant said. “Was this slackline submitted properly? Was the FAA aware of it? They were in the NOTAM system, but was it authorized by the other FAA offices? That will be part of the NTSB investigation.”

Community Response

Grant added that the incident is a serious reminder for the aviation community.

“If this can happen to a very experienced pilot, it can happen to any of us. Be very aware; aviation is very unforgiving,” he stated.

The International Slackline Association called the incident tragic but noted, “The highline had aviation markers attached to it. The FAA had been informed of the highline and a NOTAM had been issued before the collision.”