4 special operations soldiers aboard Black Hawk in crash near Joint Base Lewis-McChord | 18 Sept 2025 | Four special operations soldiers were on board a Black Hawk helicopter when it tragically crashed in Washington on Wednesday night. The fate of the four soldiers remains unclear, but first responders who were involved in rescue operations were forced to stop their efforts due to a fire on the scene. The scene of the crash appears to be just 35 miles west of Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The Thurston County Sheriff’s Department responded on Wednesday night about 9pm to reports of an explosion in the area, near Summit Lake. Army Special Operations Command described the tragedy as a “mishap” in a statement on Thursday.