A personal helicopter crashed in a mountain vary exterior 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, based on the Federal Aviation Administration.
The Pinal County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned an eyewitness who referred to as 911 mentioned the helicopter strike 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, much like tightrope strolling, that entails balancing on a flat piece of webbing between two anchor factors, according to 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 relations of their early 20s.
The helicopter had departed from Pegasus Airpark in Queen Creek, Arizona, positioned west of Superior, based on 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 entry the distant crash website, positioned within the mountains close to Telegraph Canyon, south of Superior, Arizona, based on 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 offer a secure atmosphere for search and rescue ops,” based on the discover.
