3 National Guard Pilots Killed In Idaho Helicopter Crash

Three Idaho Army National Guard members were killed after their helicopter crashed near Boise on Tuesday night, officials said. The three pilots were participating in a routine training flight when their UH-60 Black Hawk crashed after 8 p.m. near Lucky Peak, the Idaho National Guard said in a statement.

"This is a tremendous loss to the Idaho National Guard and our community," said Major General Michael Garshak, adjutant general of Idaho and commander of the Idaho National Guard. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones as we work through this tragedy."

Colonel Christopher Burt, the Guard's state aviation officer, confirmed the helicopter was last contacted at 7:45 p.m. and the aircraft's emergency transmitter locator device was activated shortly after.

Air and ground search and rescue crews were dispatched and the pilots were found at about 12:15 a.m. on Wednesday.

The cause of the crash is unknown and is under investigation. 

The crash in Idaho comes less than two weeks after three National Guard members were killed when their helicopter crashed in a farmer's field in western New York. That aircraft was also a UH-60 Black Hawk.