Army Temporarily Halts All Apache Training Flights After Fatal Crash in Texas

Army leaders have ordered a nationwide pause as investigators seek the root cause of the Apache maintenance test flight crash near Fort Hood.

Aldgra Fredly

Published: 8/14/2026, 11:25:09 PM EDT

Army Temporarily Halts All Apache Training Flights After Fatal Crash in Texas — A U.S. Army AH-64D Apache helicopter hovers flies during military exercises of Poland and NATO allied countries in Orzysz, northwestern Poland, on Sept. 17, 2025. (Wojtek Radwanski/AFP via Getty Images)

The U.S. Army said on Aug. 14 that it had temporarily halted all Apache helicopter training flights following a recent crash in Texas that killed two soldiers.

“Army leaders directed a temporary stand-down of AH64 Apache training flight operations. 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.

Two members of the U.S. military were killed on Aug. 12 after their AH-64E Apache attack helicopter crashed near Fort Hood, Texas. The Army identified them as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead.

The U.S. Army Fort Hood Media Center said in a statement on Aug. 14 that the Apache helicopter experienced “a mishap” around 1:40 p.m. on Aug. 12 during a maintenance test flight in Salado, Texas, before crashing near Fort Hood.

The Army extended its condolences to the families and friends of the two pilots, adding that an investigation to determine the cause of the crash remains ongoing.

“We mourn these aviators, and our deepest condolences remain with their families, friends, and unit during this extraordinarily difficult time,” it stated.

Both of the deceased soldiers were assigned to the Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, according to the Fort Hood Media Center.

Huey, 34, of Killeen, Texas, joined the U.S. Army in February 2014 as a motor transport operator and had been assigned to the unit since February 2022.

Olmstead, 25, of Belton, Texas, entered the U.S. Army in January 2023 as a warrant officer candidate before being assigned to the unit in October 2025.

“The Army is a family, and a tragedy like this is felt throughout our formations and our community,” Lt. Gen. Kevin D. Admiral, III Armored Corps and Fort Hood commanding general, said in an Aug. 14 statement.

Boeing, the manufacturer of the AH-64 Apache, described the helicopter as “the world’s most advanced, proven attack helicopter,” with more than 1,300 aircraft in operation across “19 countries and counting.”

The AH-64 Apache is a twin-engine, four-bladed attack helicopter typically crewed by two people, which was designed as a weapons delivery platform. Boeing said the helicopter has accumulated a collective 1.3 million flight hours of combat.

From The Epoch Times