“A fuel leak was identified and mitigated."”

Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office

GILPIN COUNTY — The crash of an army helicopter is rare enough that it often makes national news. It is certainly not something to anticipate near your home, especially in Gilpin County.

It was reported in the August 27 issue of The Mountain-Ear that a US Army Black Hawk helicopter had an incident in Gilpin County. The United States Army Special Operations Aviation Command called the incident an “aviation mishap.” 

The helicopter went down on the east side of Thorodin Mountain. It was reported at that time that there were no fuel leaks. 

Since that report a fuel leak was identified. The Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office reports that “A fuel leak was identified and mitigated. Responsibility for the incident site transitioned to the military later that day. We are aware of community concerns regarding potential environmental impacts and are working with the appropriate resources regarding any assessment or testing that may be necessary.

"At this time, we have not received information from public health officials advising of risk to our residents. The Sheriff’s Office and Office of Emergency Management will continue to assist the county, state, federal, and military partners with efforts related to site cleanup and the safety of our surrounding community.” 

On August 26 the United States Army Special Operations Command released the following information: “Regarding the aviation mishap that occurred on Aug. 25, 2026, near Denver, Colorado, there have been no reports of any environmental impacts. This remains an active safety investigation; therefore we cannot comment on or speculate on the aviation mishap.

“The U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center safety investigation board is expected to be onsite to conduct the investigation and assessments on Aug. 27, 2026. Once on site, their immediate priority will be to verify potential hazards, report their findings and begin remediation and mitigation efforts.”

The helicopter landed on Jessica Gregg’s property line. 

Gregg said, “I am extremely grateful that the pilots survived, and I support our service members.”

She continued, “What we are experiencing has been both concerning and frustrating. More than anything, I want the military to take stakeholder engagement, environmental response, and communication with affected landowners seriously.

“This could have been handled very differently from the beginning. Someone could have simply come to us on the first day and said, ‘We’re sorry this happened. We need some time to understand the situation, but we will keep you informed.’ Instead, communication has felt elusive and at times unnecessarily aggressive, and I was ultimately told that the Army had no obligation to communicate directly with me. That has been incredibly disappointing.”

Gregg feels the human impact is getting lost. “My dog is suddenly terrified of aircraft after experiencing the crash. My children keep asking whether we are at war because armed military and federal personnel have repeatedly stopped us while we are simply trying to access our home. A neighboring landowner was threatened with arrest. The only direct phone call I have received from the federal government was to tell me to file a form.”

Gregg is concerned about the fuel leak considering the close proximity of the crash site to a creek, a pond, and her well. “Most troubling from an environmental standpoint, I received written communication from the Army stating there was no spill or environmental impact, despite local authorities publicly reporting a surface fuel spill. As a geologist, I find that discrepancy particularly concerning.”

She would like some good communication and common respect. “My criticism is not about the individuals who serve; it is about how this incident and its aftermath have been managed. A little transparency, basic communication, and respect for the people directly affected would have gone a very long way," said Gregg.

The Mountain-Ear will continue to follow this story.