Army Identifies Four Soldiers Killed in Washington Black Hawk Crash

Army Identifies Four Soldiers Killed in Washington Black Hawk Crash

The U.S. Army has identified the four soldiers who died last week when a military helicopter crashed during a training flight near Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.

The victims were 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. All four were members of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, an elite unit widely known as the “Night Stalkers.”

The MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter went down around 9 p.m. Wednesday during what Army officials described as a routine flight training exercise west of the base, located about 10 miles south of Tacoma. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Weather conditions at the time were mostly clear with light winds, according to the National Weather Service.

Col. Stephen Smith of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command praised the soldiers, stating, “They embodied the unwavering dedication, selflessness, and excellence that define the very spirit of the Army and Army Special Operations.”

The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment is tasked with supporting missions worldwide, specializing in complex nighttime operations requiring precision and skill. The regiment has endured other recent losses, including a 2023 crash in the Eastern Mediterranean that killed five soldiers during a refueling mission.

This tragedy has renewed focus on the risks faced by military aviators in training and operations, even under routine conditions.