NEWS
U.S Army Elite ‘Night Stalkers’ Black Hawk Helicopter Crashes in Colorado Forest During Training
A United States Army Black Hawk helicopter operated by the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, popularly known as the “Night Stalkers,” crashed in a remote wooded area of the Colorado foothills west of Denver on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, during a routine training operation.
The MH-60 Black Hawk, which is based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, went down on the east side of Thorodin Mountain in Gilpin County, north of Golden Gate Canyon State Park.
The incident occurred shortly before 11:30 a.m. local time, prompting an emergency response to the rugged and difficult-to-access crash site within the Roosevelt National Forest.
Four people were on board the military helicopter at the time of the crash. Despite the dramatic nature of the incident and the visible damage sustained by the aircraft, authorities said there were no reported injuries.
“At this time, no injuries have been reported, and there is no reported fuel leak or fire associated with the incident.
“Emergency personnel are on scene, and there is no known threat to the surrounding community,“ the sheriff’s office stated.
Emergency teams moved into the isolated mountainous area to assess the scene and secure the aircraft, while authorities worked to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Aerial footage from the crash site showed that the Black Hawk sustained considerable damage, particularly to its main rotor blades, which appeared to have snapped during the incident. However, the fuselage of the helicopter remained largely intact among the trees.
The aircraft belongs to the U.S Army’s highly specialised 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, a unit renowned for conducting complex and high-risk aviation missions in support of American special operations forces. The regiment is widely known by its nickname, the “Night Stalkers,” reflecting its expertise in operating aircraft during nighttime and other challenging conditions.
U.S Army Special Operations Aviation Command described the incident as an “aviation mishap.”
Authorities have not yet disclosed what caused the helicopter to crash, and further investigations are expected as military officials examine the aircraft and reconstruct the events leading up to the incident.
The crash has drawn attention because of the elite status of the unit involved, but officials stressed that all four people aboard survived without reported injuries and that there was no fire, fuel leak or threat to residents in the surrounding
Colorado community.