THURSTON COUNTY, Wash. – The U.S. Army has identified the four soldiers who died in a helicopter crash near Joint Base Lewis-McChord last week.
Generic photo of Black Hawk helicopter. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
The crash happened at around 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 17 in a rural area near Summit Lake in Thurston County. According to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, the cause of the crash remains under investigation, and officials are calling it a mishap.
The U.S. Army released the names of the fallen soldiers, which include two from Washington state, on Monday morning:
- U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Three Andrew Cully, 35, from Sparta, MO
- U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Three Andrew Kraus, 39, from Sanibel, FL
- U.S. Army Sgt. Donavon Scott, 25, from Tacoma, WA
- U.S. Army Sgt. Jadalyn Good, 23, from Mount Vernon, WA
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Three Andrew Cully, 35, from Sparta, MO. U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Three Andrew Kraus, 39, from Sanibel, FL. U.S. Army Sgt. Donavon Scott, 25, from Tacoma, WA. U.S. Army Sgt. Jadalyn Good, 23, from Mount Vernon, (U.S. Army Special Operations Command )
What they’re saying:
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we confirm the loss of four courageous Night Stalkers from the 4th Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), who tragically lost their lives on Sept. 17th during a training mission.,” said Col. Stephen Smith, commander. “These exceptional warriors— Chief Warrant Officer Three Andrew Cully, Chief Warrant Officer Three Andrew Kraus, Sgt. Donavon Scott, and Sgt. Jadalyn Good—embodied the unwavering dedication, selflessness, and excellence that define the very spirit of the Army and Army Special Operations. Their sacrifice in service to our nation will forever be etched in our hearts and in the legacy of the Night Stalkers. These heroes were not only elite professionals but also cherished teammates, friends, and family members whose absence leaves an immeasurable void.”
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Three Andrew Cully from Sparta, MO
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Three Andrew Cully from Sparta, MO. (U.S. Army Special Operations Command )
Cully was commissioned as a U.S. Army aviation officer in May 2013 as a second lieutenant after graduating from Missouri State University. He completed flight training at Fort Rucker, Alabama, and later transitioned to a warrant officer role, serving as a UH-60M Black Hawk pilot. In 2022, he graduated from the UH-60M Instructor Pilot Course, also at Fort Rucker. He was 35.
Cully was deployed twice to the EUCOM theater in support of Operations Atlantic Resolve and Swift Response. In 2024, he was selected to join the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) and assigned to C Company at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, where he supported various training missions both in the U.S. and abroad – including deployment to the INDOPACOM theater.
His awards include:
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
- Army Achievement Medal
- National Defense Service Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
- Korea Defense Service Medal
- Army Service Ribbon
- Basic Army Aviator Badge
- Parachutist Badge
- Air Assault Badge
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Three Andrew Kraus from Sanibel, FL
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Three Andrew Kraus from Sanibel, FL (U.S. Army Special Operations Command )
Kraus served in the U.S. Marine Cops as a CH-46 (Chinook) maintainer from July 2008 to 2013. In 2017, he joined the U.S. Army and attended Warrant Officer Candidate School and flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He then went on to serve as an Aeromedical Evacuation Pilot in Command in Germany.
In 2023, he was selected to serve in the 160th SOAR and assigned to C Company. He is a 2025 graduate of the Aviation Maintenance Test Pilot Course at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He was 39.
His awards include:
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Army Commendation Medal
- Army Achievement Medal
- Navy Achievement Medal second award
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
- National Defense Service Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
- Army Service Ribbon
- Armed Forces Service Medal
- Overseas Service Ribbon
- Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
- Navy Unity Commendation
- Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
- Basic Aviation Badge
U.S. Army Sgt. Donavon Scott from Tacoma, WA
U.S. Army Sgt. Donavon Scott from Tacoma, WA (U.S. Army Special Operations Command )
Sergeant Donavan Scott, 25, enlisted in the U.S. Army as a UH-60 Helicopter Repairer, 15T. After being selected to serve in the 160th SOAR, his first assignment was to D Company, 4th Battalion as a UH-60 Helicopter Maintainer. After completing the MH-60 Non-Rated Crewmember Course, he served as Crew Chief in C Company.
During his service with C Company, he earned Fully-Mission-Qualified status as a Crew Chief and accumulated more than 776 flying hours.
His awards include:
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Army Achievement Medal
- Army Good Conduct Medal
- National Defense Service Medal
- Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal
- Campaign Star
- Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
- Army Service Ribbon
- Combat Action Badge
U.S. Army Sgt. Jadalyn Good from Mount Vernon, WA
U.S. Army Sgt. Jadalyn Good from Mount Vernon, WA (U.S. Army Special Operations Command )
Sergeant Jadalyn Good, 23, enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2021 as a UH-60 Helicopter Repairer, 15T. After being selected to serve in the 160th SOAR, she was assigned to C Company where she served as a Helicopter Maintainer. In 2023, she served as a Crew Chief after graduating from the MH-60 Non-Rated Crewmember Course.
While serving in C Company, she achieved Basic-Mission-Qualified status and accumulated more than 730 flight hours. The U.S. Army Special Operations Command wrote that Good was instrumental in the success of numerous CONUS and OCONUS training missions and a crisis response contingency operation.
Her awards include:
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Army Good Conduct Medal
- National Defense Service Medal
- Army Service Ribbon
- Basic Parachutist Badge
- Combat and Special Skill Badge
- Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge
- Basic Aviation Badge
What they’re saying:
“As we mourn their loss, we stand united in honoring their memory and their extraordinary commitment to the mission. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, loved ones, and the entire Night Stalker community during this profoundly difficult time,” said Smith.
The U.S. Army Special Operations Command expressed gratitude to local and state agencies that aided in the recovery efforts, including sheriff’s offices from Thurston and King counties, fire departments from Griffin, McLane Black Lake, Lacey, and Olympia, as well as the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.
This is a developing story as the incident, described as an “aviation mishap”, remains under investigation.
The Source: Information in this story comes from a press release from the U.S. Army Special Operations Command and original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle.
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