The Army has temporarily grounded AH-64 Apache training flights following a fatal crash that killed two Fort Hood pilots. The pause was announced Friday while the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center investigates an AH-64E crash during a maintenance test flight near Salado, Texas, roughly 30 miles from Fort Hood. The deceased were Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead. The stand-down will remain in place until investigators determine the root cause.
Army Grounds AH-64 Apache Training Flights After Fatal Fort Hood Crash
Soldiers train with an AH-64 Apache helicopter at 21st Central Air Force Training Ground, Nadarzyce, Poland on May 10, 2026.
The U.S. Army has ordered a temporary halt to all AH-64 Apache training flight operations after two soldiers were killed when an Apache crashed this week.
On Friday, Army leaders announced a "temporary stand-down of AH-64 Apache training flight operations," two days after an AH-64E Apache assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood crashed during a maintenance test flight.
"The stand-down will remain in effect until we have a better understanding of the root cause of the accident," the statement said. "We currently have no additional information to share."
The U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center is leading the investigation into the cause of the crash. Officials have said the pause will continue until investigators can identify the root cause and any safety concerns are addressed.
The helicopter went down roughly 30 miles from Fort Hood, near Salado, Texas. The crash killed Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead, both assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.
About the AH-64 Apache
The two-seat AH-64 attack helicopter has been in U.S. service since the 1980s and has received numerous upgrades over the decades to keep pace with evolving tactics, sensors and weapons. The AH-64E is among the more modern variants used for training and operational missions.
Wednesday's crash is the latest in a series of military aviation incidents in the United States over the past several months; some of those accidents across the services have been fatal. The Army has not released details linking this crash to any broader trend pending the investigation.
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