A groom-to-be and his three young nieces were killed in a devastating helicopter crash in the United States, just hours before his wedding was scheduled to take place.
A Fatal Pre-Wedding Flight
David McCarty, 59, an experienced pilot, decided to take three of his nieces for a ride in his private helicopter on the morning of his wedding day, the 2nd of January. The flight was intended as a special treat ahead of his marriage to fiancée Joelleen Linstrom later that day.
Tragically, the aircraft went down in the remote, rugged terrain of Telegraph Canyon, approximately 64 miles east of Phoenix, Arizona. The crash occurred at around 11am local time. All four people on board – McCarty and his nieces Rachel McCarty, 22, Faith McCarty, 21, and Katelyn Heideman, 21 – were killed.
Remote Crash Site Delays Rescue
Authorities confirmed that the helicopter collided with a slackline, a type of highline, before falling from the sky. An eyewitness reported seeing the aircraft strike a portion of the line.
The extreme remoteness of the crash site meant emergency responders faced a significant challenge. Crews had to travel on foot for hours to reach the wreckage. They did not arrive at the scene until around 5pm, with the deaths of those on board confirmed later that evening.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a temporary flight restriction over the area to allow for recovery and investigative operations to proceed. The helicopter had taken off earlier that morning from an airport in Queen Creek, a suburb of Phoenix where McCarty also owned a home.
A Family and Community in Mourning
David McCarty was a longtime aviation professional and the owner of Columbia Basin Helicopters, a company he founded in 1997 and operated out of La Grande. Friends and family described him as a highly experienced pilot who was deeply devoted to his loved ones.
The sudden loss of four family members has left the community reeling. Mary Jane Heideman, the mother of Katelyn and aunt to Rachel and Faith, expressed the family's profound grief. "They were all so loved," she said. "The girls had such bright futures. It's just hard to fathom this."
Another niece, Elizabeth Gallup, posted a heartbreaking message online as the news spread. "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," she wrote.
"They went out for a helicopter ride in Arizona. The helicopter crashed and they never got the chance to come home... Please continue to pray over every single family member as we process this heartbreak."
The local sheriff's office offered its condolences, stating, "Our prayers are with the victims and their families." Investigations into the precise cause of the fatal crash are ongoing.
