Officials say an MD 369FF went down near Telegraph Canyon after leaving Queen Creek, killing a 59-year-old pilot and three young women.
SUPERIOR, AZ — Four people were killed late Friday morning when a private helicopter struck a recreational slackline in the mountains south of Superior and crashed into a canyon, officials said. The remote site forced rescuers to hike in for hours to reach the wreckage.
The crash, reported around 11 a.m. on Jan. 2 near Telegraph Canyon, involved an MD 369FF that had taken off from Pegasus Airpark in Queen Creek. The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office said an eyewitness described the helicopter hitting part of a long slackline strung across the range. Federal investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration opened inquiries, while local authorities imposed temporary flight limits over the area. The victims were a 59-year-old pilot from Queen Creek and three female family members in their early 20s. Their names had not been released as of Saturday.
Deputies said the call first came in from an eyewitness who reported seeing the aircraft clip a line stretched across the canyon before dropping to the bottom. Search and rescue teams staged near dirt access routes and then moved in on foot over steep, rocky ground. Crews reached the site in the late afternoon as daylight waned and confirmed that all four people aboard had died. “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. A temporary flight restriction was posted over the crash zone to keep other aircraft clear as responders worked.
Officials said the helicopter left Queen Creek that morning and was headed east toward the Superstition Mountains when it went down south of Superior, roughly 64 miles east of Phoenix. The aircraft type was listed as an MD 369FF. The pilot was identified by age as 59, and the passengers were three women ages 22, 21 and 21 who were related to him, according to the sheriff’s office. Investigators are examining whether a recreational slackline, described as webbing strung between anchor points, had been rigged legally and whether it was marked or visible to pilots. Who installed the line and when remained unknown. No distress call was immediately reported. Weather conditions and maintenance records had not been released.
The crash site sits in rough country near Telegraph Canyon, an area of narrow drainages and high volcanic walls south of U.S. 60. The terrain has a long history of backcountry recreation, including climbing and off-highline events, and is crossed by trails and mining tracks. In similar mountain corridors, federal land managers have required permits for events that span canyons or use fixed anchors. Authorities did not say whether this line crossed public or private land. In prior aviation incidents in Arizona’s mountains, rescue access has been slowed by distance from roads and radio dead zones, factors that also complicated Friday’s response.
Federal investigators said they will document the wreckage, collect witness statements and review flight path data as part of a standard crash probe. The NTSB typically releases a preliminary report within two to three weeks that outlines factual information without analysis or probable cause. A final report determining cause can take months. The FAA is coordinating on regulatory issues while the sheriff’s office manages death notifications. Local officials said they are also reviewing whether the slackline’s installation complied with any applicable rules, a process that could involve the U.S. Forest Service if the anchors were on national forest land. No criminal charges had been filed as of Saturday, and no timeline for potential enforcement reviews was given.
By Saturday morning, the sheriff’s office had not released the victims’ names pending identification and notification of relatives. Superior residents described a heavy law enforcement presence near the highway and along dirt spurs leading toward the canyon. Hikers who were turned back on Friday said they saw helicopters circling high overhead and later a string of rescue trucks easing onto rutted roads. One resident said the mountains were unusually quiet overnight after the restrictions went up. “Our prayers are with the victims and their families,” the sheriff’s office said in a brief statement.
As of midday Saturday, investigators remained at the site collecting debris and mapping the line. Authorities said the next public update is expected after initial scene work concludes and once the victims are formally identified.
Author note: Last updated January 4, 2026.