Army temporarily grounds training flights of Apache helicopters after Fort Hood crash

The Army has temporarily grounded training flight operations of the AH-64 Apache following Wednesday’s crash near Fort Hood that killed two soldiers.

“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 news release Friday. “We currently have no additional information to share.”

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead were killed on a maintenance test flight when their AH-64E Apache attack helicopter experienced a mishap Wednesday in Salado, Texas.

“The Army is profoundly saddened by the loss of two soldiers in the recent AH64 Apache helicopter crash near Fort Hood, Texas,” the statement said. “We mourn these aviators, and our deepest condolences remain with their families, friends, and unit during this extraordinarily difficult time.”

The U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center in Fort Rucker, Ala., will lead the investigation.

Around 1:34 p.m. on Wednesday, the Bell County Sheriff’s Office received 911 calls about a helicopter crash, according to Cliff Coleman, the public information officer from the Bell County Sheriff’s Office. “You could tell it was a violent crash,” he said.

The two pilots were pronounced dead at 2:30 p.m., Coleman said.

The Army has used the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter for more than 40 years. The crew sits behind each other with the pilot in the rear and the co-pilot gunner in the front position.