US Army helicopter crash in Maryland leaves one dead

WASHINGTON: A Black Hawk U.S. Army helicopter crashed on a Maryland golf course on Monday, killing one crewmember and seriously injuring two others, the military said.

The UH-60 Black Hawk from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, made a "hard landing" shortly before 2 p.m. EDT (1800 GMT) near Leonardtown, Maryland, about 35 miles (56 km) southeast of Washington, base spokeswoman Jennifer Brande said.

One of those injured was in critical condition and the other in serious condition at the University of Maryland's R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, the Army said in a statement.

The Army did not release the names of the crewmembers.

The helicopters were conducting a routine training flight, the Army said. The cause of the crash is under investigation, which will be led by Army officials from Fort Rucker, Alabama.

The helicopter went down at the Breton Bay Golf and Country Club, according to a club secretary.

Witness Elizabeth Willing told local news outlet TheBayNet.com that she and a friend were kayaking in Breton Bay when they saw three helicopters, with one lagging behind.

"It started spinning. At first we thought it was doing tricks," she said.

Her friend, Kat McCurdy, said: "It disappeared behind the tree line, and then we heard a big bang."

A photo posted by the news website showed emergency personnel and vehicles gathered around twisted wreckage, with debris scattered on the grass.