Groom and 3 Young Nieces Killed in Tragic Helicopter Crash Just Hours Before Wedding

A joyous wedding day turned into unthinkable tragedy after a groom and his three nieces were killed in a freak helicopter accident in Arizona—just hours before the ceremony was set to begin.

David McCarty, 59, an experienced pilot and groom-to-be, had taken his nieces—Rachel McCarty, 22, Faith McCarty, 21, and Katelyn Heideman, 21—on a quick celebratory flight before saying “I do” to fiancée Joelleen Linstrom. Moments later, the aircraft went down in Telegraph Canyon, about 60 miles east of Phoenix.

Investigators say the helicopter struck a recreational slackline—essentially a high-tension rope—stretched more than half a mile across the canyon. The collision caused the rotor blade to shear off, sending the aircraft spiraling into the rugged terrain below.

A horrified witness called 911 after watching the helicopter slam into the cable and plummet. Search and rescue teams couldn’t even reach the crash site until late afternoon due to the remote location. All four passengers were confirmed dead at the scene.

The flight had taken off from Queen Creek, a suburb where McCarty lived and ran his helicopter business, Columbia Basin Helicopters.

McCarty and Linstrom had gotten engaged just last year. Following the crash, Linstrom posted a heartbreakingly simple photo of David fishing, a quiet tribute to the man she was hours away from marrying.

“My Uncle David, my cousin Katelyn, and my baby sisters Rachel and Faith… they never got the chance to come home,” wrote another devastated niece, Elizabeth Gallup, in a viral tribute post.

The International Slackline Association claims the highline was marked and properly reported to aviation authorities. But it remains unclear if McCarty saw the line before impact.

Now, both the FAA and NTSB are investigating, as the small Arizona town—and the McCarty family—reels from a loss that defies comprehension.

“These girls had such bright futures. It’s just hard to fathom this,” said Mary Jane Heideman, mother of Katelyn and aunt to Rachel and Faith.

They were on their way to a wedding. Instead, their names will now be remembered in one of the most heartbreaking aviation tragedies in recent memory.