The U.S. Army said a helicopter spilled fuel over Tempe and Phoenix because of a maintenance issue and an intentional release by the pilot.
On Feb. 5, fire crews from Tempe and Phoenix responded to reports of a low-flying helicopter releasing fuel in the area of Priest Drive and 10th Street and Sixth Street and Wilson.
When the crews arrived, they noticed the smell of petroleum and dry residue on nearby cars, according to a report from the Tempe Environmental Services Section.
Tempe said there were no injuries in the city. According to ABC15 reports, a Phoenix woman suffered chemical burns to her eye, which required emergency medical treatment.
According to the Tempe report, responding battalion Fire Chief Joe Escontrias said he was told by the military the source of the spill was a fuel leak from an Army Black Hawk helicopter.
An Army spokesperson confirmed the helicopter was leaking fuel, but the visible fuel residue seen on cars was likely caused by an intentional fuel release because of mechanical issues affecting the flight operations.
The aircraft involved was a United States Army MH-60M Black Hawk helicopter from the 4th Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne).
The helicopter departed from Papago Park Arizona National Guard base in Tempe. It made an emergency landing at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport approximately 10 minutes into the flight.
It is not clear how much fuel was spilled, but the Army said it was “not much” due to the short flight time and the helicopter having "plenty" of fuel when it landed, according to Tempe’s report. A Black Hawk can hold up to 450 gallons of fuel per tank.
The first report of the spill came at about 7:30 p.m. from a resident who was walking near Farmer Avenue and Sixth Street. The person noticed what they thought was rain, but it smelled strongly of petroleum, making it difficult to breathe.
The resident said their vehicle was covered in a “mist” and stated they could see residue in a nearby community pool.
Fire crews reported smelling gas or oil immediately upon leaving the station.
Upon arriving on scene, crews from Tempe Environmental Services began mapping where they could smell petroleum and where they could see residue.
On Feb. 19, U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton, who represents the area, made an inquiry into the incident. He asked the Army for an explanation and insight into their investigation, including a description of the incident, Army procedures or defense regulations governing the incident, and any potential public health impacts.
KJZZ filed a public records request to obtain the report from the Army. The Army initially said the report was complete and would be available in two weeks to a month, but now says it could take a year to finalize.
When pressed for additional information, the Army said since its initial communication, further facts emerged that necessitated the initiation of a formal investigation, which shifted the timeline to finalize the report.
The Army further specified it is in the process of two separate investigations into the incident — a safety and a legal investigation (commonly referred to as an AR 15-6 investigation) — and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment has not completed its investigation. Additionally, the AR 15-6 report would need to be requested separately and directly from the unit.
The Army said individuals who have been affected can file a claim with the Fort Huachuca Claims Office by calling 520-533-2212.
