Four people lost their lives after a private helicopter crashed in a remote mountainous area of Arizona.
Emergency services responded around 11 a.m. local time on Friday, Jan. 2, after receiving reports of a downed helicopter near Telegraph Canyon in Superior. All four occupants were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), which shared details in a statement on X.
The helicopter had departed from Pegasus Airpark in Queen Creek before crashing in rugged terrain. Due to the remote location, rescue and investigation teams were unable to reach the wreckage until later that evening, traveling on foot through the mountains, 12 News reported.
In an update, the PCSO said that Search and Rescue teams, along with Superior Fire, Queen Valley Fire, BORSTAR crews, and Federal Aviation Administration investigators, reached the crash site and confirmed four fatalities. Authorities also confirmed that next-of-kin notifications have been completed.
The victims were identified 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 publicly.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the cause of the crash. The NTSB confirmed on X that the aircraft was an MD Helicopter 369FF. Officials said preliminary findings suggest a recreational slackline, stretching more than one kilometer across the mountain range, may have been involved.
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According to the International Slackline Association, recreational slacklining involves balancing or performing tricks on a piece of webbing anchored between fixed points such as trees or rock formations.
A witness who contacted 911 reported seeing the helicopter strike part of the line before plunging to the bottom of the canyon, the PCSO said.
“Our prayers are with the victims and their families,” authorities added in their statement.
