Military

Tennessee Guard Identifies Pilots Killed in Black Hawk Crash

February 17, 2023Matt White
black hawk crash tennessee guard

A Tennessee Guard UH-60 crashed in northern Alabama around 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. Officials said there were no survivors, with at least two crew dead. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Erich B. Smith.

The two Tennessee National Guard members killed in a fiery crash on Wednesday were experienced pilots with over a decade of service each.

Guard officials said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Daniel Wadham of Joelton and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Danny Randolph of Murfreesboro both died when their UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a training flight near Highway 53 in Huntsville, Alabama.

Brig. Gen. Warner Ross, Tennessee’s adjutant general, confirmed the identities of the two soldiers in a statement late Thursday.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Danny Randolph, UH-60 Black Hawk pilot from the 1-230th Attack Helicopter Battalion, Tennessee Army National Guard, performs preflight checks for an air assault mission as part of Northern Strike in Grayling, Michigan, on Aug. 12, 2022. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Joshua Whitaker.

“Words cannot express my sorrow for the loss of these two Tennessee National Guardsmen,” said Ross. “It is felt not only within the ranks of the Tennessee National Guard, but across our entire military community. We ask that Tennesseans continue to join us in prayer for these soldiers’ families amid this tragic loss.”

Both were assigned to A Company, 1-230th Assault Helicopter Battalion, from Nashville’s Berry Field Air National Guard Base. The 1-230th is the Tennessee Guard’s only UH-60 unit and regularly responds to a wide range of civil disasters, including Hurricane Florence in 2018 and the severe flooding in Tennessee in 2022.

An unconfirmed video of the crash circulating online said to be captured by a security camera shows what looks like a UH-60 plummeting directly toward the ground from a substantial height.

The helicopter in the video appears to be tumbling straight down with no effective steering or lift, as if a mechanical failure had caused catastrophic damage during a high-altitude flight.

A UH-60 from A Company, 1-230th of the Tennessee National Guard, during hoist training with the Nashville Fire Department rescue team at Burgess Falls, Tennessee. Video from 1-230th Facebook page.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office in Alabama told several media outlets that the crash occurred around 3 p.m. on Feb. 15. Local first responders said that two people on board died in the crash.

Read Next: ‘I Just Disobeyed the Order’: The Incredible Story of Capt. Paris Davis’ Medal of Honor

Matt White
Matt White

Matt White is a former senior editor for Coffee or Die Magazine. He was a pararescueman in the Air Force and the Alaska Air National Guard for eight years and has more than a decade of experience in daily and magazine journalism.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
navy seal training
Navy SEALS Training Plagued by Massive Problems, According To Investigation

Medical oversight and care were “poorly organized, poorly integrated and poorly led and put candidat...

memorial day arlington
Memorial Day Is a Day of Remembrance, Not Celebration

Memorial Day was created as a remembrance to honor the fallen by decorating graves — a holiday meant...

air force joint chiefs
Air Force Fighter Pilot Tapped As Next Joint Chiefs Chairman Has History of Firsts

The Air Force fighter pilot about to be nominated as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ...

sowf special operations warrior foundation
BRCC Donates $500K to Special Operations Warrior Foundation

In an effort to continue Black Rifle Coffee Company’s mission of supporting the veteran community, B...

Coca Cola 600
BRCC to Honor Fallen Marine During NASCAR’s Legendary Coca-Cola 600

Black Rifle Coffee Company will honor Marine Gunnery Sgt. Joseph Menusa during NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 this Memorial Day. Menusa was killed in 2003 during the invasion of Iraq.

uss gerald r. ford oslo
US Aircraft Carrier Arrives In NATO Member Norway, To Take Part In Drills

The nuclear-powered ship USS Gerald R. Ford entered the Oslo fjord escorted by a rapid dinghy-type boat with armed personnel on board.

adam driver indy 500
Marine Vet, Actor Adam Driver Named Honorary Starter for Indianapolis 500

Two-time Academy Award nominee Adam Driver, who will soon be starring as Enzo Ferrari in a biopic of...

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
  • Request a Correction
  • Write for Us
  • General Inquiries
© 2023 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved