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Mexican Air Force UH-60M Crashes During Takeoff in Durango

The air force has opened a formal accident probe to determine whether rotor contact with trees or an engine failure caused the emergency landing.

Overview

  • A UH-60M Black Hawk made an emergency landing while taking off at the El Salto regional training center, leaving seven military occupants with minor contusions who were treated by Sanidad Militar.
  • The Fuerza Aérea Mexicana activated its Comisión Investigadora y Dictaminadora de Accidentes Aéreos to lead a formal investigation into the causes of the incident.
  • Initial accounts differ with some witnesses saying the rotor struck trees during maneuvers and other reports citing a possible engine failure; the air force has not released a definitive cause.
  • The same helicopter had been used in recent operations in Durango, and videos from the site show the aircraft losing lift near tree cover as it began its climb.
  • The crash adds to more than a dozen recorded military helicopter incidents since 2019 and is likely to increase scrutiny of maintenance, pilot training, and fleet readiness as investigators collect technical and operational evidence.