Soldier Killed, 21 Injured in Crash of Air Force Copter Near Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS —  A highly sophisticated Air Force helicopter carrying Army Rangers on a joint training mission crashed and burned on the Nellis Air Force Base range before dawn Wednesday, killing one soldier and injuring 21 other people on board.

Fourteen of the injured were treated at the base hospital and released. Seven others were admitted for treatment, primarily for broken bones, Nellis spokesman Lt. Col. John Kuminecz said. The dead soldier was not identified.

The helicopter, a 38-passenger HH-53H Super Jolly, was attached to the Military Airlift Command and was stationed at Hurlburt Field in Pensacola, Fla., Kuminecz said. The craft is considered the Air Force’s primary long-range combat rescue, recovery and special operations helicopter, he said.

It is the third crash involving the HH-53H, leaving the Air Force with only seven of the craft. The helicopter, which can fly in any weather, at night, close to the ground and can be refueled in air, is designed for dropping and picking up special forces in enemy territory.

Kuminecz would not say whether Wednesday’s nighttime operation was secret in nature and would not disclose whether the craft crashed in mountain or desert terrain.

The Nellis AFB bombing and gunnery range covers 3 million acres and includes Area 51, a top-secret government test area that reportedly was used to train personnel used in the aborted rescue attempt of the Iranian hostages six years ago.