Two Utah National Guard Black Hawk helicopters crashed Tuesday morning during a training accident.
No crew members were injured in the crash, but both UH-60 helicopters were damaged while trying to land around 9:30 a.m. on snowy terrain in Mineral Basin just outside of Snowbird ski resort, the Utah National Guard confirmed.
“As they landed, the snow kicked up, and the aircraft probably lost sight of the ground,” Utah National Guard spokesman Jared Jones said during a news conference. “We know that there was portions of the rotor blade that separated from the helicopter and struck the second helicopter.”
Jones said the second helicopter landed quickly after it was struck. Approximately three or four crew members were in each helicopter, and they safely exited the crash site and got checked out by Snowbird medical staff.
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No fuel was spilled during the crash.
Breaking: We can confirm that two Utah National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters were involved in a training accident at approx. 9:30 a.m. near Mineral Basin. No crew members were injured in the accident. Both UH-60s were damaged. The incident is under investigation.
— Utah National Guard (@UTNationalGuard) February 22, 2022
The training exercise was a “normal” practice for the National Guard and has been conducted previously in snow, ice, and other conditions, according to Jones, who added that the crew members on board at the time of the crash were “well trained.”
“We do train on edge so that we’re ready for a combat environment anywhere in the world, and the crew assumes some level of risk. Every time you fly a helicopter, there’s a little bit of danger involved. I’m just happy that everyone was OK,” Jones said. “It could have been a lot worse.”
Nearby skiers reported witnessing the crash to local media outlets, prompting concerns that the landing site could have been close enough to injure someone.
But Jones insisted landing sites are properly vetted before being used, including for proximity to civilians.
The region has received 8 inches of snow in recent days, Snowbird said in a Friday post on Instagram.
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The National Guard is assessing the damage to the helicopters, and the incident is under investigation, Jones said.
Snowbird did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
