Family pushes for slackline safety rules after fatal helicopter crash near Superior

SUPERIOR, AZ (AZFamily) — A deadly helicopter crash near Superior in January may lead to changes in safety procedures for helicopters flying over slacklines.

Slacklines are lines similar to tight ropes that can stretch across valleys in the desert. Four people died in the crash on Jan. 2 when their helicopter struck a slackline.

Relatives of the victims are now meeting with lawmakers and industry leaders, pushing for updated regulations to protect pilots and passengers.

‘It’s haunting’

Ellie Heideman said she woke up for an early-morning basketball practice that day, leaving her sister Katelyn, cousins Faith and Rachel, and uncle David at their Airbnb.

“My sister was sending me videos of them in the helicopter, sending me the views of the mountains and everything,” Heideman said. “So I knew before practice that they were in that helicopter up in the air. But to me, I was jealous. I was like, ‘oh my gosh, I wish I was up there with you guys.’”

Her jealousy quickly turned to panic when her parents showed up unexpectedly.

“I could tell automatically on my mom’s face that something was really, really wrong,” Heideman said. “My dad was just like, ‘honey, there was an accident with the helicopter, there were no survivors.’ And yeah, easily the worst moment of my life.”

Elizabeth McCarty said she was in Oregon that day.

“That’s the phone call you never want to receive,” McCarty said.

Experienced pilot struck slackline

According to the preliminary report from the NTSB, the helicopter struck a slackline that was strung across a mountain range near Superior. Officials estimate it was 600 feet off the ground.

“I want to really reiterate that Uncle David was a very experienced pilot,” McCarty said. “If something like this could take him down, it could take down any pilot. Anybody. And that’s what makes it so scary, and that’s why it needs to change and it needs to be fixed.”

The agency’s final report will not be complete for one to two years.

But Heideman and McCarty are acting now.

“We know our girls and Uncle David wouldn’t want us to sit around and be sad. That’s not who they were at all,” McCarty said.

Push for temporary flight restrictions

The family has met with legislators in Oregon and Arizona. They are currently in Washington, D.C., meeting with lawmakers and industry leaders.

They are pushing for a temporary flight restriction over high-strung slacklines, at least while the investigation into their family’s crash unfolds.

“This is obviously a safety hazard and there’s no reason to wait until after investigation to do something about it,” McCarty said.

McCarty said the fastest way to mandate these restrictions is an executive order telling the FAA to act now.

RELATED: Senators demand FAA action after helicopter crash near Superior kills family

“We are really trying to get to the President at this point to inform him of this. And we think that he would be willing to listen to us,” McCarty said.

She said change, in their family’s honor, must start now.

“They died having fun and not very many people get to do that. And so, we have to try to make as much positive action come out of this as possible and laying in bed and being sad about it doesn’t get that done,” McCarty said.

An FAA spokesperson said the agency works closely with the NTSB on all accident investigations and takes appropriate action based on the evidence developed.

Heideman and McCarty are asking people to share their story with the hope of getting it in the hands of the right people who can make a difference.

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