A Tennessee National Guard Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a training mission in Alabama on Wednesday, killing both crew members on board, officials confirmed. The crash occurred around 3 p.m. in the community of Harvest, near Alabama Highway 53, just northwest of Huntsville. The aircraft caught fire upon impact, though no injuries were reported on the ground.

Brig. Gen. Warner Ross expressed deep sorrow over the loss, urging Tennesseans to support the families of the fallen. Witnesses described hearing a loud noise before seeing the helicopter fall and explode. “We saw it hit the ground and burst into flames,” said one local resident. Another described seeing smoke rise immediately after the crash.

Authorities confirmed there were no survivors and warned locals to report any debris found near the area. The highway runs through a mixed landscape of neighborhoods and wooded areas close to the Tennessee border.

Governors of both Tennessee and Alabama offered condolences, calling the Guardsmen heroes and honoring their service. Black Hawk crashes during training have occurred in past years, including fatal incidents in Idaho (2021) and California (2020).

The FAA deferred comment to the military as investigations continue into the cause of the deadly incident.