Tragic update in helicopter crash that killed groom and nieces on wedding day
The case is making ripples through the aviation world, with safety experts unaware of any other helicopter crashes that have involved a slackline (Pinal County Sheriff’s Office)
Pilots had been warned about a slackline a week before a fatal helicopter crash that killed a groom and his nieces on his wedding day, aviation records show.
The helicopter crash in Arizona on Jan. 2 killed experienced pilot David McCarty and his three nieces, Rachel McCarty, Faith McCarty, and Katelyn Heideman.
McCarty was taking his nieces on a ride before his wedding ceremony when their chopper collided with a slackline that was over half a mile long.
A federal aviation notice had been issued a week prior, warning pilots about the tightrope stretched across a mountainous area, according to The Associated Press.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are examining the wreckage to determine the exact cause of the crash.