Story perspectives

Helicopter Crash Claims Pilot and Three Niece Lives

1/7/2026

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Summary

Story summary

A helicopter crash in Arizona on January 2 killed pilot David McCarty and his three nieces on McCarty's wedding day.
The helicopter collided with a slackline flagged in a notice issued a week earlier.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators examine the wreckage to determine the cause.
David McCarty founded Columbia Basin Helicopters, which operated across nine Western states.
Friends described the family as inspirational, expressing deep sorrow over the tragedy.

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Story summary

A helicopter crash in Arizona on January 2 killed pilot David McCarty and his three nieces on McCarty's wedding day.
The helicopter collided with a slackline flagged in a notice issued a week earlier.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators examine the wreckage to determine the cause.
David McCarty founded Columbia Basin Helicopters, which operated across nine Western states.
Friends described the family as inspirational, expressing deep sorrow over the tragedy.