US Army temporarily halts Apache training missions after two soldiers killed in Texas crash
The US Army on Friday (local time) announced a temporary halt to all Apache helicopter training missions, two days after a crash in Texas killed both soldiers on board.“The stand-down will remain in effect until we have a better understanding of the root cause of the accident,” the Army said in a statement.The cause of the crash has not been determined, as the investigation is still in its early stages. A safety investigation team from the Army Combat Readiness Center at Fort Rucker, Alabama, is examining the circumstances surrounding the incident.The Army’s statement, however, did not mention any suspension of Apache combat missions currently being carried out in the war in Iran. The helicopters have been operating around the Strait of Hormuz as part of efforts to keep navigation channels open.The military has taken similar measures after previous aviation accidents. In 2023, the Army grounded all aviation units and ordered additional training after 12 soldiers were killed in separate crashes in Alaska and Kentucky.Also Read: Fatal US Apache crash puts spotlight back on killer helicopter’s safety record
Who were the victims?
The Army identified Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T Huey, 34, of Killeen, Texas, and Warrant Officer Seth L Olmstead, 25, of Belton, Texas, as the soldiers killed in the Texas crash. They were the only two people aboard the helicopter when it crashed a grassy field near Salado, about 48 km from Fort Hood.Huey joined the Army in 2014, while Olmstead enlisted in 2023. Both were assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.The Army has faced scrutiny over its aviation safety practices in the past. During its investigation into last year’s collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines pass. The NTSB said the Army had failed to adequately identify some of the safety risks associated with the heavily congested airspace around the US capital. The January 2025 collision killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft.Fort Hood, one of the US military’s largest bases, covers about 214,968 acres and is used to train and deploy heavy forces.enger jet near Washington, DC, the National Transportation Safety Board sharply criticised the Army’s safety culture.The facility has also witnessed several deadly accidents. In November 2015, four soldiers were killed when a Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a training exercise. The following year, nine Fort Hood soldiers died after their vehicle was swept into a rain-swollen creek.
