Echo School District to hold vigil for helicopter crash victims
By Dan Thesman on Wednesday, January 7th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
ECHO – The Echo School District has been asked by the family of the four East Oregonians who died last week in a helicopter crash in Arizona to invite friends to a community vigil this Friday beginning at 5 p.m. in the Echo School District Commons, 600 Gerone St. At 5:45 p.m., attendees of the vigil will walk as a group into the Echo girls’ basketball game to cheer on the Cougars.
The district has announced the vigil will not be a formal service, but will provide a chance for friends to share, visit and remember David McCarty, 59, and his three nieces: Rachel McCarty, 23; Faith McCarty, 21, both of Echo; and Katelyn Heideman, 22, of Hermiston.
The four were killed Friday, Jan. 2 while David McCarty was taking his nieces on a tour in a private helicopter through Telegraph Canyon, located about an hour southeast of Phoenix. The helicopter struck a recreational slackline before plunging to the ground killing everyone on board.
David McCarty, who owns Columbia Basin Helicopters, based in La Grande, lived in Baker City, but also had a home in Arizona.
Friday’s crash took place just hours before David McCarty was to be married.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.
Photo via Echo School District
