Four Soldiers Killed in Black Hawk Crash Near Joint Base Lewis-McChord

The U.S. Army said four soldiers were killed Wednesday when a MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter on a routine training flight crashed west of Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington.

The crash occurred around 9 p.m. local time, according to the Army, which said the helicopter was part of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, also known as the Night Stalkers. The agency did not release a preliminary cause, and authorities said the incident remains under investigation.

The soldiers who died were from the 160th SOAR. Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Cully, 35, of Sparta, Missouri; Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Kraus, 39, of Sanibel, Florida; Sergeant Donavon Scott, 25, of Tacoma, Washington; and Sergeant Jadalyn Good, 23, of Mount Vernon, Washington.

The Army said the flight was a routine training mission conducted west of the base, which lies about 10 miles south of Tacoma and is under Joint Base Headquarters jurisdiction. Weather in the area at the time was described as mostly clear with light southerly winds, per the National Weather Service.

Col. Stephen Smith, who led the unit’s command, said in a release that the soldiers “embodied the unwavering dedication, selflessness, and excellence that define the very spirit of the Army and Army Special Operations.” Known as Night Stalkers, the regiment specializes in nighttime missions and operates worldwide to organize, equip and employ Army special operations aviation forces.

This is the second deadly crash involving this elite unit in recent years. In 2023, five Army aviation special operations forces were killed when a helicopter crashed in the Eastern Mediterranean during a routine air refueling mission as part of training. In March 2024, two soldiers from the JBLM SOAR unit were hospitalized after an Apache helicopter crash at the base during a routine training exercise.

The base is located about 10 miles south of Tacoma and falls under the U.S. Army Joint Base HQ. Investigators will review flight data, air traffic control records and maintenance logs as they determine what happened Wednesday night. Family members and colleagues were notified as officials coordinate next of kin support and memorial arrangements.

The Army did not indicate whether more details would be released publicly as the investigation continues, but commanders urged restraint and emphasized ongoing investigations to determine the cause and prevent future accidents. The victims’ families, colleagues, and communities across the region were expected to receive continued briefings from Army leadership as the investigation proceeds.