As the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) begins the arduous process of analyzing the wreckage of a Jan. 2 helicopter crash near Telegraph Canyon, the investigation has moved beyond the mechanical state of the aircraft. The focus is now squarely on the legality and visibility of a kilometer-long recreational “highline” that transformed a public mountain pass into a deadly trap for a family on their way to a wedding.
A Wedding Day Tragedy
The crash claimed the lives of 59-year-old David McCarty, a veteran pilot and owner of Columbia Basin Helicopters, and his three nieces: Rachel McCarty, 23; Faith McCarty, 21; and Katelyn Heideman, 21. The group had departed from Pegasus Airpark in Queen Creek for a brief sightseeing flight on Friday morning. McCarty was scheduled to be married just hours later…