BOISE, Idaho (KTVB/NBC) – Three pilots with the Idaho Army National Guard were killed Tuesday night when their helicopter went down near Boise.
The three Guard members were participating in a routine training flight when their UH-60 Black Hawk crashed.
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined but officials say the guardsmen were flying in rough terrain and bad weather.
Lt. Col. Nicole Washington said, “So the aircraft itself – not any particular safety measures but all the pilots were wearing night-vision goggles, which is, which allows them to see better at night last night. Even with their goggles, the illumination was pretty low, so it would have made it a lot more difficult, and you combine that with bad weather snow precipitation. You know it can cause quickly deteriorating conditions.”
The names of the three pilots killed in the crash have not yet been released.
“One of the greatest things about aviation is that we are. I think a fairly extremely close-Thjknit unit that also makes it very hard. So, our thoughts and prayers and concerns are obviously with the families,” Lt. Col. Washington said.
The Army Aviation Safety Center has assigned a team which will lead the investigation into the cause of the crash.
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