Hang on--Centcom says it was "a lucky shot." It was a command & control copter, hovering over a battlefield relaying info back, possibly transporting troops. The environment was "permissive," the rescue was hairy, but successful...some pockets of resistance from the Medina division, were seeking out & destroying small units when it was shot down, suspect machine guns, poss. RPG, might have hit hydraulic line, rear rotor, David Schuster, MSNBC.
Well, if the rear rotor was hit, it would have started to spin and they probably lost control. Really sad. My Uncle told me that during World War ll planes would be shot down by small arms fire so it is not surprising but they must have gotten a lucky hit.