Mystery helicopters over Gatewood

| Gatewood | Helicopter | West Seattle news

Thanks to the tipsters who phoned in sightings of two unmarked helicopters in the Gatewood area in the last 30 minutes. We’re told they were not news helicopters and we have no word of police activity in that area. At the moment they have flown off as quickly as they appeared. We’ll post an update if we’re able to find out what it was related to. But it is likely unrelated to any kind of law enforcement or rescue activity.

karen August 30, 2010 (2:16 pm)

I’ve seen what I thought was an Army helicopter flying back and forth, this afternoon. Looked like it was headed to Boeing field and then away again. Very loud and low. I’m over near Westwood Village.

Ken August 30, 2010 (2:22 pm)

I heard them inside, in Sunrise Heights. Didn’t see them, but sounded like they were flying really low.

Born To Be Mild August 30, 2010 (2:25 pm)

I think that’s what the silent black helicopters look like in daylight. They were probably checking out my neighborhood, I was reading a socialist newspaper on my deck this weekend.

michael August 30, 2010 (2:54 pm)

two black helicopters flew around the Morgan/Fauntleroy area. They circled several times before heading off in the direction of vashion.

Tony S August 30, 2010 (2:56 pm)

They were two Army Blackhawks from Ft. Lewis.

furor scribendi August 30, 2010 (3:33 pm)

I got a good long look at them. They flew around the Space Needle on their way round downtown, then
saw them heading for the westside. There were no markings on either craft, not even operating numbers. The fuselage from midbody to tail wasn’t tapered – not a standard Blackhawk look – it was tubular from bodypod to tail. The nose was dropped like a Blackhawk, however. Who knows? Only the Boeing tower knows for sure…..

D August 30, 2010 (3:42 pm)

Looked like army. Had guns on them. Saw them flying over todds shipyard

Al August 30, 2010 (3:49 pm)

They also circled the Space Needle several times. Could see this from my place of work.

Doug August 30, 2010 (3:50 pm)

They were definitely not your typical Blackhawk or Apache. I’m thinking they were OH-58D Kiowa or something very similar. I’m pretty sure they had small side armaments.
Wish they wouldn’t do that. What if one of those suckers fired off accidentally! What then?

MJ August 30, 2010 (4:06 pm)

Probably some flight crews doing training flights. I flew black hawks for a number of years and because of the complicated (relatively speaking for military pilots) airspace around seattle (with both Boeing AF/Seatac, there is training value in coming up to fly in and around the city.