A UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter belonging to the Mexican Air Force crashed this Friday, August 28, during the takeoff phase at the El Salto Military Camp, located in the municipality of Pueblo Nuevo, Durango.
The aircraft lost power, began spinning on its own axis and struck the ground within the perimeter of the military facilities. The sequence was recorded on video by a witness in the area.
The seven crew members aboard the flight suffered minor contusions following the accident and received immediate medical attention, according to the official report issued by the Secretariat of National Defense.
Military medical personnel assigned to the El Salto Regional Training Center carried out the medical examination and care of the military personnel following the emergency landing.
Investigation Protocols Activated
The federal agency ordered the intervention of the Investigative and Determining Commission for Aviation Accidents to conduct a technical analysis of the incident.
The specialized body took responsibility for reviewing the unit’s operational conditions in order to produce the final report regarding the causes of the crash.
Preliminary investigation reports established two main versions regarding the factors that caused the aircraft to lose control.
The first hypothesis indicated that the aircraft’s rotor made contact with a tree during the maneuvers, while the second pointed to a direct failure in the engine system.
Military Flight Path
The aircraft took off during the early morning hours from the 5 de Mayo Military Camp, a complex located in the city of Durango.
The flight plan established the El Salto military region as its destination, specifically landing at the runways of Military Camp 10-C.
The facility served as the headquarters of the Second Infantry Company, the exact location where the aircraft’s trajectory ended with the crash of the military unit.
The competent authorities have left the proceedings open to determine the type of technical operation the military crew was carrying out moments before the incident.
Source: expreso
