Helicopter runs into Slackline

[outdoor_lover]

Apparently Slackliners do not practice LNT and it took 4 lives. https://apnews.com/article/helicopter-c ... 71e88d79a6

[LosDosSloFolks]

Half a mile long and high enough for a helicopter to hit? That's Flying Wallenda Family level difficulty.

[chumley]

There is a lot of info in this story that has yet to be reported. Hopefully when it is more clarity will come from it.

For now though there are public records that show that a NOTAM (notice to airmen) was issued by the FAA indicating the presence of the slackline with the active dates of Dec 26 to Jan 6.

I believe there are 2-3 pilots here on HAZ and I would be very interested to hear from somebody about if it would be common for a pilot to check the current NOTAMs before a flight, or if there are other methods or checklists for this kind of thing.

It seems like the slack liners reported the line to the FAA according to proper procedures?

Did somebody miss something, or is it an imperfect system that could use updating or improvements?

It’s a sad outcome. Condolences to the families of those impacted.

Updated to add ISA public statement, also linked here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DpGNu8JMQ/

[outdoor_lover]

Would definitely like to see more details about this. Who did the slackline belong to? If it was going to be up that long, I wonder if it was for an event or a filming? Would be very interested to learn what type of anchors it had and whether the entire unit held together after the helicopter hit it or not. I wonder if it would have made a difference in the outcome, one way or another. It's such a shame. I wonder if visibility was still a problem in that area yesterday.

[CannondaleKid]

This is the most informative video of the tragedy without being overly dramatic... basically "just the facts" as they are known at the time.
[ youtube video ]
Sadly, the pilot was going to be married after returning from this sightseeing flight through Telegraph Canyon with his 3 nieces.

[xsproutx]

I'm not a pilot but was an aspiring one at some point and have some stick time. Checking NOTAMs is 100% required but the fact is, people get complacent. Sometimes you'll see they're just absolutely spammed with stuff that makes you roll your eyes but then there's things like this... unfortunately, anytime something is "routine", it's in human nature to get a bit complacent (not saying pilot here DIDN'T check and perhaps there was some other reason, of course, but yeh).

[CannondaleKid]

There were no NOTAMs for the area around the airport they took off from in Queen Creek, so there was nothing to be made aware of.

However, the only NOTAM which DID relate to the slack-line was issued for Superior Municipal Airport.

While Telegraph Canyon is NEAR the Superior airport, since quite likely the flight was never intended to approach the Superior airport, it could be easy not to have checked for NOTAMs in the area.

While I don't necessarily see that as being complacent, in this case, being paranoid of any possible NOTAM relevant to anywhere along the full intended flight path would not have been inappropriate.

Now if the pilot had ever flown the same route in the past, knowing the Superior airport was nearby, it would be reasonable and prudent to have checked for NOTAMs for Superior airport.

[xsproutx]

There were no NOTAMs for the area around the airport they took off from in Queen Creek, so there was nothing to be made aware of.

Ah, that makes more sense. I thought I had read he took off from Superior but that's probably just a memory fart/getting my wires crossed on what it was close to. It'd be interesting to know if he filed a flight plan and stuck with it or it was a winging it type of trip.
Damn tragic regardless, though, and I do think the systems need to be a bit more intuitive to use than they are today to make it easier to look along a flight path vs just what's associated with individual airports. Gotta keep up with the times...

[xsproutx]

Double-posted

[chumley]

Channel 12 did a report on this that raises more questions than it answers. For me, anyway.
https://www.12news.com/article/news/loc ... 0049cd0bf9

First of all, the NOTAM coordinates were next door in Wood Canyon, not in Telegraph Canyon, though Telegraph is where all the reports indicate the crash occurred. I've not read anything questioning the discrepancies in the two locations.

The reporter (who does not appear to have ever spent any time outside of city limits) speaks with an unidentified "property owner" who claims this occurred on his private property — without permission. Land use maps show only Tonto NF property in either of those canyons. Perhaps a rancher has a grazing lease in the area, and somehow thinks he owns the land? The individual also says he knew the pilot personally, which immediately raises questions about his credibility as a source for accurate information as far as I'm concerned.

But I'd be very curious about verifying the accuracy of the report that the slackline was on private property.

[xsproutx]

I have had run-ins with a gentleman that, initially, claimed to own much of Telegraph and just let people recreate as an easement or something. When questioned, in the first encounter, he admitted that he was the 'head of operations' for the ranch that had grazing rights there. I've seen him say the same thing about owning the property on other platforms as well before getting shutdown. To be clear, it wasn't the man featured in this story but I wouldn't be completely surprised if he really was a ranch hand for someone who did have grazing rights. He threw a fit when they installed the gate at arnett and telegraph

[CannondaleKid]

After recognizing just about every land feature shown in the Channel 12 video I realized we had hiked in that area in December 2023 and in fact had several photos of the same peaks pointed out in the video.

After digging through my archives, we actually hiked up to the summit of one of the peaks the slack line was hung from (pretty sure it's 3464), then descended along a wide clockwise arc, passing Filaria Spring and Rock Tank before getting back into Telegraph Canyon proper.
During that clockwise arc it's very possible we passed within 100 yards of the crash site... at least where the reporter from Channel 12 was standing when he claimed it was the actual site.

Based on current land ownership maps I agree that area is Tonto NF land, NOT on privately owned land but. Sure it may be leased land, but the nearest non-National Forest parcel is ~1.5 miles East.

[chumley]

After recognizing just about every land feature shown in the Channel 12 video I realized we had hiked…

Thanks for the insight. I know you’re more familiar with the area than most.

It’s a bit of a journalistic oversight for a news agency to not take the time to verify property ownership which shouldn’t be that difficult to ascertain.

[azbackpackr]

It’s a bit of a journalistic oversight

I don't think there are very many actual journalists left.