Four special operations soldiers were killed when an MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed Wednesday night near Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington, Army leaders confirmed. The soldiers served with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. Our thoughts are with the families, teammates and friends of these Night Stalkers, said Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, commander of U.S. Army Special Operations Command. “They lived as elite warriors, upheld the highest values of the Army, and we will always honor their sacrifice.”
Recent Army Aviation Incidents
Earlier this year, Army Aviation faced intense scrutiny after a UH-60 Black Hawk from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, collided with a civilian passenger jet near Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. The crash killed three Army pilots and 64 people aboard the American Airlines flight. Investigators cited stressed civilian air traffic controllers, failed communications, and problems with the Black Hawk’s internal systems as causes.
Helicopter Safety Concerns
In February 2024, after two accidents in two weeks, the National Guard ordered a temporary halt to helicopter operations. A Utah National Guard Apache crashed during training, injuring two pilots. Two weeks later, a Mississippi National Guard AH-64 Apache crashed during an exercise, killing two soldiers.
Army identifies four soldiers missing in Washington helicopter crash
The Army has named four soldiers who died when their military helicopter crashed near Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington last week.
The Army announced Monday that the fallen soldiers included Chief Warrant Officers Andrew Cooley and Andrew Krause, Sergeants Donavon Scott and Jadalyn Good.
Cooley, 35, was a resident of Sparta, Missouri. Krause, 39, was a resident of Sanibel, Florida. Scott, 25, lived in Tacoma, Washington, while Good, 23, was a resident of Mount Vernon, Washington.
Honoring His Service
Cooley was commissioned as an Army Aviation Officer in May 2013 after graduating from Missouri State University, and deployed in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve and Operation Swift Response. Kraus joined the Army in 2017, participated in multiple training missions, and was deployed during contingency response operations. Scott enlisted as a UH-60 helicopter repairer and supported two missions under Operation Inherent Resolve. Goode worked as a helicopter maintainer and played a key role in several training operations, the Army said.
All four soldiers received numerous honors, including the Meritorious Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.
“While we mourn their loss, we stand together to honor their lives and their unwavering dedication to their mission. We keep their families, loved ones, and the entire Night Stalker community in our prayers during this deeply painful time,” Smith said.
Night Stalker Legacy
According to the Army’s official website, their regiment leads, trains, and deploys Army Special Operations Aviation forces worldwide.
“Known as Night Stalkers, these warriors are known for their unparalleled expertise in nighttime missions,” the site states. “They prepare relentlessly to perform the most difficult tasks with unparalleled precision, day or night, in any environment, anywhere in the world.”
Helicopter crashes during training mission near base
Army officials said the helicopter was on a routine training mission west of the base when it crashed around 9 p.m. Wednesday. Officials confirmed the soldiers were from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Airborne.
Army leaders said the crews are continuing recovery operations, and investigators are looking into the cause. They noted they will share the soldiers’ names “when appropriate” out of respect for the families.
“Our thoughts are with the families, teammates and loved ones of these Night Stalkers,” said USASOC commander Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga. “They were elite warriors who lived the highest values of the Army, and their sacrifice will be unforgettable.”
The Army website explains that the regiment organizes, equips and deploys aviation forces for special operations around the world.
The Skills of Night Stalkers
“Known as night stalkers, these warriors excel at nighttime missions,” the website notes, “they undergo extensive training to complete the most difficult tasks with unmatched precision in every environment around the world.”
The Washington Department of Natural Resources reported that the accident started a small wildfire that had grown to 1.25 acres (0.5 hectares) by Friday morning. The agency said fire activity was minimal, with only one engine managing the scene.
The base is located about 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Tacoma under the U.S. Army Joint Base Headquarters.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office in Olympia posted late Wednesday that deputies responded to reports of a possible helicopter crash in the Summit Lake area west of Olympia.
“We received reports that the military has lost contact with a helicopter in the area,” the department said. It said deputies were coordinating with the base and did not share any additional information.
Sheriff Derek Sanders wrote on Facebook that deputies found debris but were unable to continue the rescue effort because the crash site was on fire.
Recovery Update After Fatal Collision
The development comes two days after officials confirmed they had found all 67 victims, including several passengers returning from a training camp held after the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas. U.S. Figure Skating announced that 28 people were on board the flight involved in the sport. According to officials, the helicopter had three crew members and was conducting a training exercise from Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Flight altitude details
The agency reported Tuesday that air traffic control screens showed the helicopter flying at 300 feet, 100 feet above the 200-foot ceiling normally required under federal aviation rules. The board said more evidence from the Black Hawk debris was needed to confirm its flight track data.
Leave a Reply