Report on an accident involving a light all-terrain vehicle (ATV) in the Blåtind shooting and training area in Målselv on 14 September 2025
Defence report 2026/04
During a training exercise involving extraction in darkness with an ATV, a road barrier was struck in the Blåtind shooting and training area in Målselv on 14 September 2025. The driver of the ATV was seriously injured as a result of the collision.
The investigation has shown that the driver detected the road barrier too late to be able to stop. Several factors contributed to this, including reduced visibility, divided attention and inadequate marking of the road barrier.
The use of a back protector contributed in reducing the extent of the injuries.
The investigation points to a need for improved design and marking of road barriers in shooting and training areas, as well as better information exchange about accidents and unwanted incidents related to such infrastructure.
The NSIA issues four safety recommendations as a result of the investigation.
This report is in Norwegian only.
The ATV after the accident. Photo: Norwegian Armed Forces
Published 23.06.2026
Safety recommendation
Safety Recommendation Defence No. 2026/06T
The accident in the Blåtind shooting and training area in Målselv on 14 September 2025, in which a driver was injured after colliding with a road barrier, occurred because the ATV rider detected the road barrier too late to stop. The unit had introduced the use of a Level‑2 back protector on light off‑road vehicles as a self‑imposed requirement. This may have had an injury‑mitigating effect for the rider in the situation.
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) recommends that the Armed Forces establish a requirement for the use of Level‑2 back protectors during all operational and training‑related driving of light military vehicles, including ATVs and comparable platforms.
Safety Recommendation Defence No. 2026/07T
The accident in the Blåtind shooting and training area in Målselv on 14 September 2025, in which a driver was injured after colliding with a road barrier, occurred because the ATV driver detected the barrier too late to stop. The barrier lacked reflectors, lighting or other markings that could have improved its visibility, and the Norwegian Defence Estates Agency (Forsvarsbygg) has no regulatory framework governing the design, placement, warning and marking of road barriers.
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends that the Norwegian Defence Estates Agency establish a regulatory framework and introduce requirements for the design, placement, warning and marking of road barriers in shooting and training areas, including any requirements for colour contrast, reflectors, lighting and advance warning.
Safety Recommendation Defence No. 2026/08T
The accident in the Blåtind shooting and training area in Målselv on 14 September 2025, in which a driver was injured after colliding with a road barrier, showed that the barrier consisted of a rigid steel beam with no energy‑absorbing or forgiving properties, increasing the potential for injury in the event of impact.
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends that the Norwegian Defence Estates Agency introduce requirements for forgiving design principles for road barriers in shooting and training areas, in order to reduce the risk of injury in the event of an unintended collision.
Safety Recommendation Defence No. 2026/09T
The accident in the Blåtind shooting and training area in Målselv on 14 September 2025, in which a driver was injured after colliding with a road barrier, occurred because the ATV driver detected the barrier too late to stop. The Armed Forces and the Norwegian Defence Estates Agency (Forsvarsbygg) both have established systems for reporting accidents and unwanted incidents, but the investigation shows that there are no routines or technical solutions ensuring information sharing between the systems when infrastructure owned by Forsvarsbygg is involved. As a result, Norwegian Defence Estates Agency does not receive information that may be necessary to identify risk conditions or implement preventive measures.
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends that the Armed Forces and the Norwegian Defence Estates Agency establish routines and technical solutions that ensure automatic information exchange between their reporting systems in the event of accidents and unwanted incidents involving infrastructure owned by Norwegian Defence Estates Agency.
Facts
| Location | Blåtind shooting and training range |
| Occurrence date | 14.09.2025 |
| Category of Occurrence | Accident |
| Defence branch | The Norwegian Special Forces |
| Incident type | Sammenstøt, påkjørsel, velt |
| County | Troms |