Fireworks Nearly Hit Four Black Hawk Helicopters at Lumen Field

Four U.S. Army UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters flew over Lumen Field in Seattle on Monday, November 2, 2026, as part of the pregame ceremony before the Seahawks’ Monday Night Football matchup with the Chicago Bears — and video shows fireworks erupting beside the final helicopter as it cleared the stadium, a near-miss that spread across social media within hours.

Fireworks fired as the fourth Black Hawk cleared the stadium

The flyover was performed by four helicopters from the Army’s 2-158th Assault Helicopter Battalion, part of the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade, according to Fox News. The first three aircraft passed over the venue without incident. But the pyrotechnics — launched from the tower above the Hawks Nest on the stadium’s north end, KATU reported — went off while the fourth helicopter had not yet cleared the stadium, and footage captured the fireworks exploding remarkably close to the trailing aircraft, prompting audible gasps from the roughly 70,000 spectators.

The four aircraft approached in a diamond formation before passing over the stadium’s open roof. Three helicopters cleared the airspace before the fireworks launched, but the trailing aircraft was still overhead when blue and red pyrotechnics burst beneath it. The display had been pre-scheduled and fired from the stadium roof and big screen area during the national anthem presentation, while the last chopper was still passing through the stadium airspace.

Fans flooded social platforms with reactions ranging from alarm to dark humor. One user wrote, Somebody in the control room is having the worst Monday night of their life, while another added, I would be so terrified if I was on that helicopter. Others defended the aircraft’s resilience, with one posting, They're designed to take bullets I think it'll be fine, and another noting simply, It's a Blackhawk…. Some connected the moment to the game itself, with one quipping, Fireworks are more accurate than Darnold tonight!

Army confirms no strike, no damage, no injuries

Joint Base Lewis-McChord later put the outcome on record. We can confirm that no fireworks struck the aircraft, no aircraft were damaged, and no members of the aircrew were injured, US Army Lt. Col. Cynthia R. Holuta said, according to KATU. The helicopter continued flying after the fireworks erupted, with no visible signs of damage.

Reports varied on the exact timing, with some outlets placing the incident ahead of the November 2 matchup while others described the aircraft flying over the stadium during the game itself. Helicopter flyovers have become a regular fixture at Lumen Field, including before Team USA’s World Cup game against Australia in June, and the choppers had returned to the venue about a week after a practice run.

The UH-60M typically carries a crew of four — two pilots and two crew chiefs/gunners — and features a rugged aluminum alloy fuselage with ballistic protection for the crew. The Seattle close call came just days after a deadly helicopter collision in neighboring Oregon, where three people were killed on October 29 when two helicopters collided midair near McMinnville Airport before crashing into a field.

Seahawks lose 34-17 and fall to 4-4

The pregame scare foreshadowed a rough night on the field. The Bears defeated the Seahawks 34-17, the New York Post reported, dropping Seattle to 4-4 and outside the playoff picture while Chicago improved to 6-2. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams threw for 237 yards; Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold completed 17 of 34 passes for 188 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, and Seattle’s defense allowed 34 points, the most it had given up all season, Fox News reported.

On the field, Chicago’s offense racked up 363 yards, 62 more than its previous season high. The Bears blocked a field goal on special teams and limited Seattle to just 252 yards of offense, the second-lowest total for the Seahawks this season. Chicago scored touchdowns on all four of its red-zone trips, while Seattle’s defense surrendered four touchdowns, including three on the ground. Guided by a sharp offensive game plan under head coach Ben Johnson, Chicago tore through Seattle’s defense while forcing key turnovers in the second half.

Local broadcasters folded the near-miss into their postgame coverage. On KIRO Newsradio’s “The Jake and Spike Show,” Spike O’Neill compared the firework to Seattle’s offensive struggles: It was closer than any Seahawk third down attempt last night. Co-host Jake Skorheim said he had enjoyed the flyover on television — There was a helicopter flyover, which was awesome, and it was really cool until I saw these videos going around online. Seattle Sports co-host Brock Huard delivered the blunt postgame verdict: They were violent in every phase. The Seahawks were not. He added: No answers tonight. Spike noted Huard’s critique needed no cleanup: We didn’t have to edit out a single word.

On KIRO Newsradio 97.3’s “The Jake and Spike Show,” which airs weekdays from noon to 3 p.m., O’Neill said he had located a photograph he believed captured the moment from another helicopter in the formation but held off sharing it pending approval: I’m waiting for a response to that. I won’t do it until I know we have clearance and permission to do so. Skorheim added, And I’m trying to lift spirits at the same time… Ah, it was exhausting, and of course, he’s like, ‘This is bad. It was the whole thing was bad.’

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