CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER ANDREW CULLY AND OTHERS DIED IN WASHINGTON STATE HELICOPTER CRASH
Fatal Washington state helicopter crash death of Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Cully
The U.S. Army has officially named the four service members killed in the Black Hawk helicopter mishap west of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The fatalities occurred during a night training flight on September 17th.
The victims identified by the Army include Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Cully from Sparta, Missouri; Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Kraus from Sanibel, Florida; Sergeant Donavon Scott from Tacoma, Washington; and Sergeant Jadalyn Good from Mount Vernon, Washington. All four were members of the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.
The MH-60 aircraft went down around 9 p.m. local time during routine flight operations near the military base. The U.S. Army Special Operations Command confirmed the identities and released photographs of the fallen soldiers. The National Weather Service reported generally clear skies and light southerly winds in the vicinity at the time of the incident, though the exact cause of the accident remains under investigation.
Each soldier brought unique experience and dedication to their roles. Cully, a Missouri State University graduate commissioned in 2013, had served in multiple international deployments. Kraus, who joined the service in 2017, participated in numerous training missions. Scott, an aircraft mechanic, contributed to operations in the Middle East. Good, a mechanic with exceptional technical skills, supported countless training exercises.
The Army praised their achievements, noting all four had received significant awards including the Meritorious Service Medal. Command officials expressed profound sorrow and extended sympathies to the families and fellow service members during this tragic time.
This marks the second fatal incident involving this specialized unit within the last few years, highlighting the inherent dangers of special operations aviation. A similar tragedy struck earlier this year when an Apache helicopter crash injured service members at the same base.
