An Army officer asked a series of disturbing questions the day he died in a Black Hawk helicopter crash, according to a report. James Bellew, 26, died in March 2022 at a Fort Stewart airfield in Georgia. According to redacted materials about the incident obtained by Military.com, investigators ruled Bellew’s death a suicide and found that he crashed one helicopter before running to another and crashing the second too, the latter causing an explosion which took his life. The investigation also reportedly noted that Bellew made “casual” inquiries the day before his death about whether a soldier’s family would be held liable for damage to Army equipment and if they would receive life insurance after a suicide. Bellew’s roommates also said he asked if “someone could access an aircraft alone without anyone noticing.”
If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. You can also text or dial 988.
