A U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter made a hard landing in the Colorado foothills Tuesday morning after residents said it flew unusually low over nearby homes.
The helicopter came down Aug. 25 on the side of Thorodin Mountain in Gilpin County. One homeowner said neighbors told him the helicopter passed close enough to their second-story windows that they could see the pilot’s eyes before it went down, according to 9NEWS.
Four people were on board. All four individuals escaped without injury, according to CBS Colorado.
The Army says the Black Hawk was conducting routine training, but the cause of the mishap remains under investigation.
Neighbors Say the Black Hawk Was Almost at Window Level
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The Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office received word of the helicopter incident shortly before 11:30 a.m., according to Denver7.
Footage from Sky9 showed the Black Hawk sitting upright among broken tree trunks and branches, with significant damage to its rotor blades, 9NEWS reports.
The sheriff’s office initially reported no fire or fuel leak. In a Wednesday update, however, deputies said a fuel leak had been discovered and contained during the response, according to Denver7.
The sheriff’s office said it had received no information from public health agencies indicating a risk to nearby residents. Local, state, federal, and military teams were working together on cleanup and any environmental testing that might be needed.
The Army Isn’t Saying Yet What Went Wrong
The helicopter belongs to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and is originally based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, CBS Colorado reports.
The 160th is the Army’s special operations aviation regiment, known also as the “Night Stalkers.” The U.S. Army says the unit flies specially modified Black Hawk, Chinook and Little Bird helicopters. Their training is designed to prepare them for demanding environments around the globe.
U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command called Tuesday’s incident an “aviation mishap during routine training operations near Denver” in a statement provided to Denver7.
“The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) is aware of an August 25, 2026, aviation mishap during routine training operations near Denver, Colorado,” the Army said in a Tuesday statement, as reported by CBS 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. Questions regarding the matter should be directed to the U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command Public Affairs Office.”
The nearby neighbors that were concerned about forest damage and fire risk were assured everything is under control and to wait for the official statement on what happened.