A US Air Force helicopter made an emergency landing on Monday in Virginia after shots from the ground hit the aircraft. Two pilots sustained injuries in the incident.
During a routine training mission, the UH-1N took hits while flying 10 miles northwest of Manassas, VA. The US Air Force helicopter landed safely at Manassas Regional Airport west of Washington, DC, according to CNN.
Shortly thereafter, emergency responders took the pilots to the hospital. An Air Force official says the hospital treated the pilots and later released them.
The FBI Stepping In To Investigate US Air Force Helicopter Shooting
Along with local law enforcement, the FBI Washington Field Office (WFO) continues investigating the situation. The FBI released a statement addressing the incident.
“WFO is working jointly with our law enforcement partners, including the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident,” the statement reads. “One individual in the helicopter sustained a non-threatening injury, for which he was treated and subsequently released from the hospital.”
The FBI is stepping in to determine how the shooting happened. It remains unknown whether the shot was deliberate or if it came from a random shooting into the air. Investigators plan to closely inspect the aircraft for other damage.
Richard Allabaugh, the airport operations officers, recalls the tower receiving a notification of an “onboard emergency on a military helicopter that was inbound.”
The US Air Force 316th wing confirmed the incident occurred. However, they didn’t reveal much further than that the helicopter made an emergency landing.
“A UH-1N Huey helicopter assigned to the 1st Helicopter Squadron at Joint Base Andrews conducted an emergency landing at 12:43 pm on August 10th in Manassas, Va during a routine training mission,” the statement reads.
“The Office of Special Investigations is fully engaged with our FBI colleagues on this incident. OSI take threats to our Airmen and our resources very seriously. As this is an ongoing investigation, no further investigative details can be released at this time,” the statement concluded.
[H/T The Hill]
