In brief
On Wednesday, a military helicopter crash resulted in the deaths of four soldiers from the U.S. Army's elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. Chief warrant officers Andrew Cully and Andrew Kraus, along with sergeants Donavon Scott and Jadalyn Good, were conducting a standard training flight when the incident occurred. The cause of the crash is being investigated, but weather conditions were reported to be clear at the time. This tragic event marks the second deadly incident involving this regiment in recent years, reflecting the inherent risks associated with military aviation missions.
TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — The Army has released the names of four soldiers killed in a helicopter crash near Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, on Wednesday.
The fallen soldiers were chief warrant officers Andrew Cully, 35, from Sparta, Missouri, and Andrew Kraus, 39, from Sanibel, Florida, along with sergeants Donavon Scott, 25, from Tacoma, and Jadalyn Good, 23, from Mount Vernon, Washington.
The helicopter, part of a routine flight training, went down around 9 p.m. local time. The specific cause of the crash is currently under investigation. According to the National Weather Service, conditions were mostly clear with light winds at the time.
Col. Stephen Smith praised the soldiers, stating they embodied the dedication and selflessness characteristic of the Army and Army Special Operations. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, often referred to as the Night Stalkers, is renowned for their nighttime operations and specialized training.
This incident marks the second deadly crash for this regiment in recent years, following a similar tragedy in 2023 involving five soldiers in the Eastern Mediterranean during a routine air refueling mission. In March 2024, two soldiers from the same unit were hospitalized after another helicopter crash during training exercises at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
