A personal helicopter crashed in a mountain vary outdoors Phoenix on Friday, killing all 4 individuals aboard, authorities mentioned.
The crash occurred round 11 a.m. native time Friday and concerned an MD 369FF helicopter, in line with the Federal Aviation Administration.
The Pinal County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned an eyewitness who referred to as 911 mentioned the helicopter struck a part of a leisure slackline that had been strung up throughout the mountain vary earlier than falling to the underside of the canyon.
Authorities reply to a helicopter crash close to Telegraph Canyon, south of Superior, Arizona, Jan. 2, 2026.
credit score: Pinal County Sheriff’s Workplace
Slacklining is an exercise, just like tightrope strolling, that entails balancing on a flat piece of webbing between two anchor factors, in line with Slackline U.S.
The identities of the 4 individuals on board the helicopter haven’t been made public, however the sheriff’s workplace mentioned the pilot was a 59-year-old man from Queen Creek and passengers have been three feminine members of the family of their early 20s.
The helicopter had departed from Pegasus Airpark in Queen Creek, Arizona, situated west of Superior, in line with the sheriff’s workplace.
Superior is almost 70 miles east of Phoenix.
Authorities reply to a helicopter crash close to Telegraph Canyon, south of Superior, Arizona, Jan. 2, 2026.
credit score: Pinal County Sheriff’s Workplace
Crews labored for a number of hours to entry the distant crash website, situated within the mountains close to Telegraph Canyon, south of Superior, Arizona, in line with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Workplace.
The Nationwide Transportation Security Board and the FAA are investigating the crash.
A short lived flight restriction was issued by the FAA over the realm “to supply a protected setting for search and rescue ops,” in line with the discover.
