4 dead as helicopters crash on Washington base

PanARMENIAN.Net - Two Army helicopters crashed Monday, December 12 night at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in an accident that killed four soldiers, a military spokesman said late Monday.

The two-seat reconnaissance choppers crashed after 8 pm in the southwest training area of the sprawling base, according to the Army. The victims were not immediately identified, even by unit, pending notification of relatives.

It was not immediately clear whether the aircraft collided or crashed separately.

"We don't have details on what actually occurred," base spokesman J.C. Mathews said. "That will be part of the investigation."

The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters were on a training mission, Mathews said, further details will be part of the investigation.

The Kiowa Warrior is a single-engine, four-bladed aircraft used for armed reconnaissance, Mathews said. It's often called a scout helicopter. The crash site is geographically closest to the civilian community of Rainier, which is south of Tacoma, Mathews said.

Early Tuesday morning, two sheriff's vehicles blocked access to a rural plot of land where officials erected large sets of lights to illuminate the crash site.

Base officials secured the crash site late Monday and immediately began an investigation.

Joint Base Lewis-McChord is one of the largest bases in the country, with about 100,000 military and civilian personnel, The Associated Press reported.