Army Halts Apache Training After Deadly Texas Helicopter Crash

The U.S. Army has temporarily halted all Apache helicopter training missions following a fatal crash in Texas earlier this week that killed two soldiers.

The stand-down will remain in effect until investigators determine the root cause of the accident. A safety investigation team from the Army Combat Readiness Center in Fort Rucker, Alabama, is examining the incident. The two pilots killed were Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey, 34, of Killeen, Texas, and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead, 25, of Belton, Texas.

They were assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. The helicopter crashed in a grassy field near Salado, approximately 30 miles from Fort Hood. Huey entered the Army in 2014, and Olmstead entered in 2023. The Army has taken similar actions in the past; three years ago, all aviation units were grounded after 12 soldiers died in separate crashes in Alaska and Kentucky. The current halt does not affect combat missions, including those involving Apaches operating near the Strait of Hormuz.