Groom, His 3 Nieces with ‘Bright Futures’ Revealed as Victims of Helicopter Crash That Took Place on the Man’s Wedding Day

The four people killed in a remote helicopter crash on Jan. 2 in Arizona have been identified by family members.

The victims were the sole passengers aboard a private helicopter that went down in the mountains near Telegraph Canyon in Superior. They have been identified as David McCarty, 59, and his relatives Rachel McCarty, Faith McCarty, and Katelyn Heideman, all from Oregon, according to multiple reports.

The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office said the three female victims were ages 22, 21, and 21. The young women were cousins, and David, who was piloting the aircraft, was their uncle, according to a family member’s social media post.

“My family and I want to thank you all for the positive thoughts, prayers, calls, and text messages,” the relative wrote. “Please continue to pray over every single family member as we process this heartbreak. All the love and support is welcome. We truly have no words right now. They are all in heaven together.”

Mary Jane Heideman, the mother of Katelyn and aunt to Rachel and Faith, also shared a statement following the tragedy.

“They were all so loved,” she said. “The girls had such bright futures. It’s just hard to fathom this.”

David was scheduled to marry his fiancée, Joelleen Linstrom, later that same day. Reports indicate he had taken the three young women on a helicopter ride ahead of the wedding when the crash occurred.

The couple announced their engagement on social media in September. After the crash, Linstrom shared a photo of David fishing but did not include a public statement.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the incident.

Authorities said the helicopter had departed from Pegasus Airpark in Queen Creek, Arizona, and emergency services received reports of a crash around 11 a.m. local time. Due to the remote terrain, responders and investigators reached the wreckage on foot later that evening.

In an update, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office said preliminary evidence suggests a recreational slackline more than one kilometer long had been strung across the mountain range.

“An eyewitness who called 911 reported seeing the helicopter strike a portion of the line before falling to the bottom of the canyon,” the sheriff’s office said.