Army Grounds Apache Training
Army Grounds Apache Helicopter Training Nationwide After Deadly Fort Hood Crash
Key Points
The crash near Salado, Texas, sparked a 155-acre wildfire that required more than 200 firefighters to contain.
The two pilots killed were Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre Huey, 34, and Warrant Officer Seth Olmstead, 25.
The mishap occurred during a maintenance test flight in Salado, Texas (Bell County), with 911 calls logged around 1:34 p.m. and the pilots pronounced dead about 2:30 p.m.
The AH-64E Apache is armed to deliver a heavy payload, capable of carrying 16 Hellfire missiles, 76 rockets and 1,200 rounds for its 30 mm gun.
The U.S. Army grounded all AH-64 Apache helicopter training flights after a crash near Fort Hood, Texas, killed two soldiers on a maintenance test flight. The pilots — Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre Huey, 34, and Warrant Officer Seth Olmstead, 25 — were both pronounced dead by about 2:30 p.m. local time, according to CNN.
The crash happened near Salado, Texas, in Bell County, with 911 calls logged around 1:34 p.m. Beyond the human toll, the wreckage sparked a 155-acre wildfire that took more than 200 firefighters to contain, Stars and Stripes reported.
Who the Two Fallen Pilots Were
Huey and Olmstead both served with the 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Division, based at Fort Hood. The Army has extended condolences to their families and thanked first responders who worked the scene, according to Stars and Stripes.
Huey was 34 years old and held the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 2. Olmstead was just 25 and held the rank of Warrant Officer. Both were aboard the Apache for what the Army described as a routine maintenance test flight — not a combat or training exercise.
Army-Wide Stand-Down With No End Date
Following the crash, the Army ordered a full stand-down of Apache training flights across all units. The pause is temporary, but officials have set no timeline for when flights will resume, CNN reported. Fort Rucker, Alabama — the Army's aviation hub — is leading the investigation.
Investigators from the Army Combat Readiness Center are working to find the root cause of the crash. Until they do, no Apache training missions will fly. The Army said the stand-down covers all AH-64 Apache training operations nationwide, according to The Brandon Sun.
What Makes the Apache a Critical Army Asset
The AH-64E Apache is the Army's most advanced attack helicopter. It can carry 16 Hellfire missiles, 76 rockets, and 1,200 rounds for its 30 mm gun. The Apache has been in service since 1984 and has seen constant upgrades. The Army plans to keep it flying through 2050, according to KRDO.
That long service life makes reliability critical. A grounding of this scale — pausing all training flights — signals that the Army takes the crash very seriously. The investigation's outcome could affect how the Apache is maintained and operated across every unit in the force.
Wildfire and Community Response Near Salado
The Apache went down in a rural area near Salado, a small town about 20 miles north of Fort Hood. The crash triggered a fast-moving wildfire that burned 155 acres. More than 200 firefighters responded to bring the flames under control, according to Killeen Daily Herald.
Local emergency crews and military first responders worked alongside each other at the scene. The Army publicly thanked those first responders for their quick action. No civilian injuries were reported in connection with the fire or the crash itself.
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