US army Black Hawk Helicopter goes down in Colorado
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A US Army Black Hawk helicopter from the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment made an “unplanned landing” in a wooded area of the Colorado foothills west of Denver on Tuesday, with all four people aboard escaping unharmed, according to US media.
The MH-60 Black Hawk, based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and known as part of the “Night Stalkers” unit, went down on the east side of Thorodin Mountain in Gilpin County, north of Golden Gate Canyon State Park.
The incident occurred during routine training operations just before 11:30 a.m. local time. Emergency crews responded to the remote, rugged terrain in the Roosevelt National Forest, where the aircraft came to rest amid trees.
Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office officials confirmed four individuals were on board and reported no injuries.
“At this time, no injuries have been reported, and there is no reported fuel leak or fire associated with the incident,” the sheriff’s office stated.
“Emergency personnel are on scene, and there is no known threat to the surrounding community.”
Aerial video from the scene showed significant damage to the main rotor blades, which appeared snapped, though the fuselage remained largely intact.
US Army Special Operations Aviation Command described the event as an “aviation mishap.”
In a statement, a spokesperson said: “The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) is aware of an August 25, 2026, aviation mishap during routine training operations near Denver, Colorado. The command takes all training incidents and the safety of our personnel seriously. Because this is currently the subject of an active safety investigation, we cannot provide additional comment or information at this time.”
Local authorities noted the helicopter belonged to the 160th SOAR and emphasized there was no danger to nearby residents or campers. Some nearby individuals reported hearing military helicopter activity throughout the morning but did not hear anything resembling a crash.
A temporary media staging area was set up and later closed as the Army assumed control of further updates.
The Army has opened a safety investigation into the cause of the mishap.
No details on mechanical issues, weather, or other factors have been released.
Images and video circulating from the site showed the specialized black-painted aircraft surrounded by broken trees in the high-elevation wooded area.
All four crew members were able to exit the helicopter safely.
