Black Hawk Down in Colorado Training
PHOTO CAPTION: Soldiers assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment prepare an MH-60M Black Hawk for flight at Hurlburt Field, Florida, Jan. 10, 2024. The image is illustrative and does not depict the Aug. 25, 2026, Colorado mishap.
A U.S. Army Black Hawk assigned to the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment went down in a wooded area west of Denver during a routine training mission Tuesday, with no injuries reported among the four people aboard.
The incident occurred Aug. 25 on the east side of Thorodin Mountain in Gilpin County, north of Golden Gate Canyon State Park. Local authorities were notified shortly before 11:30 a.m. and sent emergency crews to the scene.
The aircraft belongs to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), commonly known as the Night Stalkers, the Army's special operations aviation unit.
“The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) is aware of an August 25, 2026, aviation mishap during routine training operations near Denver, Colorado,” U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command said in a statement.
Army officials said initial reports indicated no injuries. The Gilpin County Sheriff's Office also reported no fire or fuel leak associated with the incident and said there was no known threat to the surrounding community.
Images from the scene showed the dark-colored Black Hawk sitting among trees in mountainous terrain with visible damage to its rotor system. The aircraft's fuselage appeared largely intact.
The Army has not disclosed what caused the helicopter to go down or whether mechanical problems, weather or another factor contributed to the incident.
An Army safety investigation is underway.
The 160th SOAR specializes in aviation support for U.S. special operations forces and operates specially modified helicopters including MH-60 Black Hawks, MH-47 Chinooks and MH-6 and AH-6 Little Birds.
The regiment's crews are trained for demanding missions including low-level flight, infiltration and extraction of special operations forces, and operations at night and in difficult terrain.
Army Special Operations Aviation Command said it would not provide additional information while the safety investigation remains active.
Sources: U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command; Gilpin County Sheriff's Office; CBS Colorado; Denver7
(Source: OAF Nation)
