The U.S. Army has paused AH-64 Apache training flights following a tragic accident at Fort Hood, Texas. Two soldiers perished when an Apache helicopter crashed near Salado, Texas, setting off a wildfire. This temporary halt will remain as the Army investigates the accident’s root causes.
Authorities reported the Apache descended in central Texas during a routine training, igniting a fire that led to nearby evacuations. Thankfully, there was no damage to homes or buildings, though the crash was described as violent by Bell County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Cliff Coleman. The deceased pilots have been identified as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey, 34, and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead, 25.
Apache Crashes and Safety Concerns
The Fort Hood accident is not isolated. Apache helicopters have encountered numerous incidents over the years, some fatal. In March 2024, two Apaches crashed in separate training sessions in Washington and Colorado, injuring crew members.
Earlier in February 2024, two pilots from the Mississippi Army National Guard died in an Apache crash near Booneville. Following this, a helicopter safety stand-down was enacted. Additionally, a Utah Army Guard Apache crash resulted in injuries to two pilots in early 2024.
In Alaska, April 2023 saw a collision between two Apaches from Fort Wainwright, causing three fatalities and one injury. A previous rollover in Alaska during February 2023 also injured two soldiers. In May 2023, another crash at Yakima Training Center in Washington injured two soldiers.
February 2021 marked another incident where an Apache crashed in Alabama, injuring the crew.
Comparing Apache Incidents with Other U.S. Military Aircraft Crashes
In recent years, broader crashes in the U.S. military aviation sector have occurred. Notably, in 2026, a KC-135 Stratotanker and B-52 Stratofortress crashed in Iraq and California.
January 2025 saw an F-35A Lightning II crash in Alaska, while a Black Hawk collided with a jet near Reagan National Airport. In 2025, a surveillance aircraft crashed in the Philippines, with other incidents reported throughout the year.
In 2024, various crashes included B-1B Lancer and F-16C Fighting Falcon incidents. 2023 featured a collision involving HH-60 aircraft in Kentucky and several crashes worldwide.
Several crashes in 2022 involved Osprey aircraft in Norway and California, while earlier years reported military plane mishaps, highlighting ongoing challenges in military aviation safety.
Leave a Reply