Helicopter hit slackline that stretched across canyon, witness tells officials; 4 family members dead
SUPERIOR, Ariz. (AZFamily/Gray News) — Four people died after a helicopter crashed late Friday morning, according to authorities in Arizona.
The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office said the helicopter pilot, identified as a 59-year-old man from Queen Creek, and three women who were his family members, died in the crash. One woman was 22 and the other two were 21.
The names of the victims were not immediately released to the public.
Deputies in Pinal County confirmed the helicopter pilot departed Jan. 2 from Pegasus Airpark in Queen Creek.
Preliminary information suggests the helicopter crashed around 11 a.m. into a recreational slackline that was stretched over half a mile across the mountain range near Telegraph Canyon, the sheriff’s office said.
Officials said an eyewitness called 911 after seeing the helicopter hit the slackline and fall to the bottom of the canyon.
Deputies responded to the scene while search crews reached the remote crash site at around 5 p.m.
Four hours later, officials confirmed all four people who were on the helicopter had died.
The NTSB confirmed the aircraft was an MD 369FF helicopter.
The FAA and NTSB will investigate the cause of the crash.
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