Army Grounds Apache Training Flights After Deadly Crash
Army Grounds Apache Training Flights After Deadly Crash
The News
The U.S. Army has temporarily halted all AH-64 Apache helicopter training flights after a crash near Fort Hood, Texas, killed two pilots on Wednesday.
"Army leaders directed a temporary stand-down of AH64 Apache training flight operations," the Army said in a statement. "The stand-down will remain in effect until we have a better understanding of the root cause of the accident."
The Army has not specified the cause of the crash, and has not said how many aircraft the stand-down covers or how long it will last.
Timeline
An AH-64 Apache crashed in a field in rural Salado, Texas, about 30 miles from Fort Hood, the Army and local law enforcement said. Both crew members were killed.
Investigators from the Army Combat Readiness Center at Fort Rucker, Alabama, arrived at the crash scene. They will lead the investigation.
The Army identified the dead pilots as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey, 34, of Killeen, Texas, and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead, 25, of Belton, Texas. Both were assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.
The Army announced the temporary stand-down of Apache training flight operations.
Reactions
"The Army is profoundly saddened by the loss of two Soldiers in the recent AH64 Apache helicopter crash near Fort Hood, Texas," the Army said Friday. "We mourn these aviators, and our deepest condolences remain with their families, friends, and unit during this extraordinarily difficult time."
"Our hearts and deepest condolences are with the families of the Soldiers we lost Wednesday," said Lt. Gen. Kevin Admiral, the Fort Hood commanding general. "The Army is a family, and a tragedy like this is felt throughout our formations and our community."
Bill Coleman, a spokesman for the Bell County Sheriff's Office, told reporters the wreck was severe. "You could tell this was a violent crash," he said. Coleman said the helicopter did not hit any buildings but sparked a wildfire.
What's Next
The Combat Readiness Center investigation will determine the root cause. Until it produces answers, Apache training flights stay on the ground — the Army tied the end of the stand-down directly to that finding, not to a date.
The Army has not said whether operational or deployed Apache missions are affected, or whether the aircraft's flight status will change once the review is complete.
More
The AH-64 Apache is a two-seat attack helicopter — the pilot sits in the rear, the co-pilot and gunner in front. The Army says it can carry 16 Hellfire missiles, 76 aerial rockets and 1,200 rounds for its 30 mm gun, and can destroy armor and personnel targets out to about five miles in obscured battlefield conditions.
The Apache entered service in 1984 and has been upgraded since. The Army calls the latest AH-64E, built by Boeing since the late 1990s, "the most advanced aerial fighting vehicle in the world," and the fleet is slated to keep flying until 2050.
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