All four aboard killed in private helicopter crash outside Phoenix, Arizona

A privately owned helicopter crashed into a mountainous area outside Phoenix, Arizona, on Friday, killing all four people on board, authorities told US media.

The crash occurred at about 11 a.m. local time on January 2 and involved an MD 369FF helicopter, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office said a witness who called 911 reported that the aircraft struck part of a recreational slackline stretched across the mountain range before plunging to the bottom of a canyon.

Slacklining is a recreational activity similar to tightrope walking, in which participants balance on a flat webbing secured between two anchor points, according to Slackline U.S.

Authorities have not released the names of the victims. The sheriff’s office said the pilot was a 59-year-old man from Queen Creek, Arizona, and the passengers were three female family members in their early 20s.

The helicopter had taken off from Pegasus Airpark in Queen Creek, west of the town of Superior, officials said. Superior is located nearly 70 miles east of Phoenix.

Emergency crews spent several hours reaching the remote crash site, which was in the mountains near Telegraph Canyon, south of Superior, according to the sheriff’s office.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA have launched an investigation into the crash. The FAA also issued a temporary flight restriction over the area to ensure safety during search and rescue operations.

By Tamilla Hasanova