Pilot and 3 Family Members Killed in Horror Helicopter Crash

Four people were killed after a private helicopter crashed into a remote mountain area of Arizona, authorities confirmed.

Emergency crews were dispatched around 11 a.m. local time Friday, Jan. 2, after reports of a downed helicopter near Telegraph Canyon outside the town of Superior. The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office said all four people on board were pronounced dead at the scene.

The helicopter had departed from Pegasus Airpark in Queen Creek before crashing in the rugged mountain terrain. Due to the remote location, first responders were unable to reach the wreckage until later that evening, trekking into the area on foot.

“This evening, PCSO Search and Rescue, Superior Fire, Queen Valley Fire, and BORSTAR crews reached the wreckage on foot alongside FAA investigators and confirmed four fatalities as a result of the crash,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “Next of kin notifications have been made.”

Authorities identified the victims as the pilot, a 59-year-old man from Queen Creek, and three female family members ages 21, 21, and 22. Their names have not yet been released.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are jointly investigating the crash. The NTSB confirmed the aircraft was an MD Helicopters 369FF.

Investigators said preliminary evidence suggests the helicopter may have struck a recreational slackline — described as a length of webbing stretched between fixed points — that was reportedly more than one kilometer long and strung across part of the mountain range.

A witness who called 911 told authorities they saw the helicopter hit part of the line before plunging into the canyon below, according to the sheriff’s office.

“Our prayers are with the victims and their families,” officials said as the investigation continues.