Training for Low-Altitude Insertion in Mountainous, Snowbound Conditions Goes Awry with Zero Injuries

A pair of UH-60 Black Hawks from the Utah National Guard were involved in a training accident this morning near Mineral Basin, Utah. The two have been  landed near the impact, with the crew thankfully escaping any serious injury. The accident highlights the dangers of formation flight in zero-visibility conditions, especially with fresh, powdery snow in a natural, enclosed valley. 

The Blackhawks appeared near a group of skiers who quickly began recording the novel experience of the helicopters coming in to hover nearby. As the pair of Blackhawks hovered in place to simulate a drop into an area surrounded by upsloping mountains and trees, a flurry of loose, powdered snow was quickly kicked up into billowing clouds, obscuring the aircraft entirely.  As onlookers recorded, a loud impact punctuated the engine whine, which was immediately followed by the sound of the landed helicopters powering down. 

Ski patrollers responded quickly, thanks to the nearby Snowbird Ski Resort, with Unified Police Department Canyon personnel arriving on scene a short time later. No injuries were reported between the crew and onlookers, a rare ‘win’ in the case of helicopters making contact mid-air. While unfortunate, there aren't many better places to set a pair of helicopters down in the icy 13° cold.

The mountainous region is often a favorite place to practice formation flights through the low morning clouds, but as with any challenging, low-visibility activity, things can go sideways in a hurry. The exact extent of the damage is unknown, but one aircraft lay on its side, apparently missing its rotors, while the other sits set down in the snow. The Utah Guard said the incident is under investigation. 

FMI: www.ut.ng.mil