Deliberate mistake: When the list of the KIA during the raid is showing, the name of Matt Rierson is up there but he died 3 days later from a mortar attack on the base. (02:11:50)
Suggested correction: Although he was killed 2 days later, he is still considered a casualty of the battle in official records so it's not a mistake.
Factual error: In the movie, the Rangers and Delta operators defending the crash site are engaged by several 'technicals' (pick-up trucks with crew served weapons mounted) including one with a recoilless rifle directed by the Somali 'head honcho'. Also, several technicals seem to (somewhat implausibly) spring from the woodwork as they flee the city on foot... However, during the entire course of the actual battle, there was never a SINGLE mention of the pinned down forces being engaged by such vehicles and the Rambo-style capture of the recoilless rifle was a comical fabrication.
Suggested correction: Technicals engaged US forces throughout the battle. Although they may not have been engaged by a technical with a recoilless rifle, they most certainly were engaged by technicals.
Continuity mistake: When the soldiers first go into the town in the helicopters, one of the helicopters lands on a roof. The camera cuts away for a split second, but when it comes back to the helicopter that landed on the roof, the blades have stopped moving completely within that one second. (00:41:01)
Suggested correction: Two problems with this mistake. First off, as the little bird is only dropping 4 guys off, then going to its holding pattern, there is no way the pilot would turn the rotors off. Secondly, the blades are out of shot of the camera so you can't confirm if they did stop.
Visible crew/equipment: During the scene after the soldier falls out of the helicopter, an intense gun battle breaks out. As the troops rally to evacuate the injured man, another soldier lays down some suppressing fire. Look in the lower left corner of the screen. Two crew members, one wearing eye protection and one wearing ear protection, are visible.
Visible crew/equipment: Near the beginning as the helicopters fly in formation to invade Mogadishu, you can see the tail control surface of the film helicopter providing the shot for said scene. (00:38:20)
Factual error: After the second Black Hawk helicopter (Super 6-4) gets shot down, all of the crew members aside from the pilot appear to have been killed in the crash. In reality, all of the men survived the crash. They were later killed by the Somali mob, except for pilot Mike Durant who was taken prisoner.
Suggested correction: Black Hawk Down is frequently regarded by many, including real participants of the battle, as a dramatization of what actually happened. Therefore some details will not match up to real events. This is simply one of those instances.
Suggested correction: Mike Durant in his book "In the Company of Heroes" states that this did not happen.
Visible crew/equipment: Just after Pilla is killed we see Aidid walking with his MP5. In his sunglasses the camera is reflected as clear as day. (00:48:20)
Suggested correction: That wasn't Aidid, and the person you mention didn't have an MP5.
Continuity mistake: When they call for a stretcher for Blackburn, the stretcher is half folded up. The camera does an instant cut and it is now fully open. They don't unfold that quickly. (00:45:40)
Suggested correction: The scene shows them opening it that quickly.
The stretcher changes from partially opened to fully opened between shots. Meaning no time has elapsed to finishing opening it, which is why it's a continuity mistake.
Continuity mistake: When Randy Shugart and Gary Gordon arrive to defend the downed chopper, Shugart is shooting his rifle as a right-hander, but in one short sequence as they're pulling Mike Durant to cover he is shooting as a left-hander. The shot has obviously been reversed as the bolt of the M14 and the height adjustment knob on the aim point optic are on the wrong side of the rifle. (01:29:00)
Suggested correction: You can see him change shoulders as he goes back into the building.
The mistake is valid. He's shooting with the rifle against his right shoulder and you can see the flag patch on his right shoulder. In the next shot, after the guy is pulled out, the rifle is against his left shoulder and he turns, he doesn't change shoulders as the rifle is still against his left shoulder after he turns. However, there is no longer a flag patch on his right shoulder, meaning the shot was flipped as indicated.
Factual error: In the movie the first Black Hawk helicopter (Super 6-1) gets shot down and just so happens to crash in a large four-way intersection. In the actual battle, Super 6-1 crashed in a narrow alleyway. (00:49:45)
