Two HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters collide over Fort Campbell, killing nine
HH-60 Black Hawk helicopter prepares the hoist for a medical evacuation (file photo)
US Army photo by: Sgt. 1st Class Andrew McClure
Two US Army HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters were involved in a fatal mid-air collision and crash during a night training mission over Fort Campbell in Trigg County, Kentucky, on March 29, 2023, killing all nine servicemen on board.
The helicopters were part of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), a light infantry group and the Army's only air assault division. They were flying in a "multi-ship formation" with personnel using night vision goggles, according to Brigadier General John Lobus, the deputy commander of the division.
The crash occurred at about 10 p.m. in a wooded area near the Tennessee border. The cause of the collision is still under investigation. An aviation team from Fort Rucker in Alabama is expected to arrive today to review black box data from the aircraft.
The HH-60 Black Hawk is a variant of the UH-60 Black Hawk, the Army's utility tactical transport helicopter. The HH-60 is designed for medical evacuation, special operations and combat search and rescue missions. It can carry up to 11 passengers and has a maximum speed of 193 mph.
The crash is one of the deadliest military training accidents in recent years. In February, two Tennessee National Guard pilots were killed when their Black Hawk helicopter crashed along an Alabama highway during a training exercise.
Craig has decades of experience contributing to Flight International, Aviation Week, KCRW, NPR, and appearances on the Discovery, Military and History Channels.
Welcome to AeroSpaceNews.com, the world's first