Pilot error the cause of Night Stalkers crash off Okinawa in 2015

An investigation report into the crash of a Black Hawk helicopter onto a Military Sealift Command ship off Okinawa in 2015 has been released to public.


The MH-60 from the 4th Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, was approaching USNS Red Cloud for heli-insertion of special forces onto the bow of the ship when its main rotors came into contact with the ship’s mast.

Five American and two Japanese servicemembers were injured when the rotocraft smashed onto the deck.