Army Grounds Apache Training Flights After Deadly Fort Hood Maintenance Test Crash
On Friday, August 14, 2026, the U.S. Army temporarily grounded all Apache helicopter training flights after an AH-64 from Fort Hood crashed near Salado, Texas, killing both crew members.[1]
The Army said the stand-down will remain in place "until we have a better understanding of the root cause of the accident." CBS News The order applies to training missions and does not affect ongoing Apache combat operations, officials said.[2]
On Wednesday, August 12, 2026, the Army said the AH-64 crashed during a maintenance test flight near Salado and that the two pilots were the only people aboard.[3] The crash also sparked a wildfire in the area, officials reported.[4]
Early coverage described the aircraft as on a training mission.[4] Later reporting and Army statements clarified it was a maintenance test flight and identified the pilots as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead.[3]
A safety investigation team from the Army Combat Readiness Center at Fort Rucker arrived on Thursday, August 13, and is leading the probe, Army officials said.[3] Fort Hood commanding general Lt. Gen. Kevin D. Admiral issued condolences to the families and said the loss is felt across Army formations and the local community.[3]
Show source details & analysis (7 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- On Wednesday, August 12, 2026, an AH-64 Army Apache helicopter crashed near Salado, Texas, killing both crew members and sparking a wildfire.
- The Army said the AH-64 Apache went down during a maintenance test flight near Salado on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, and that the two pilots were the only people on board.
- On Friday, August 14, 2026 the Army identified the pilots as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey, 34, of Killeen, Texas, and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead, 25, of Belton, Texas; both were assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, with Huey entering the Army in 2014 and Olmstead in 2023.
- A safety investigation team from the Army Combat Readiness Center at Fort Rucker, Alabama arrived on Thursday, August 13, 2026 and is leading the crash investigation, and officials said no cause has yet been released while the probe remains in its initial stages.
- On Friday, August 14, 2026 the U.S. Army temporarily grounded all Apache helicopter training missions and said the stand‑down will remain in effect until leadership has a better understanding of the root cause of the accident; the order applies to training missions and does not extend to ongoing Apache combat operations.
- Aviation safety expert John Cox publicly endorsed the Army’s stand‑down as a proactive safety measure until investigators obtain 'hard answers', and PBS noted Apaches have been operating in the Iran conflict with at least one earlier Apache crash after colliding with an Iranian drone.
- Fort Hood commanding general Lt. Gen. Kevin D. Admiral issued a statement offering condolences to the families and saying the loss is felt throughout Army formations and the local community.
📰 Source Timeline (7)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
August 14, 2026
11:34 PM
Army temporarily halts Apache helicopter training missions after deadly Texas crash
New information:
- On Friday, August 14, 2026, the U.S. Army announced it had temporarily halted all Apache helicopter training missions following the August 12 crash near Salado, Texas, that killed two Fort Hood-based pilots.
- The Army stated the stand-down will remain in effect until leadership has a better understanding of the root cause of the accident; the order explicitly applies to training missions and does not extend to ongoing Apache combat operations in the Iran war, including missions around the Strait of Hormuz.
- The article reiterates that a safety investigation team from the Army Combat Readiness Center at Fort Rucker, Alabama, has begun probing the crash and that no cause has yet been released because the investigation is in its initial stages.
- The piece underscores that Apaches have already been operating in the Iran conflict and notes at least one previous Apache crash that occurred after colliding with an Iranian drone.
- Aviation safety expert John Cox publicly endorsed the Army’s stand-down as a proactive safety measure, saying such steps are appropriate until investigators obtain “hard answers.”
11:23 PM
Army temporarily grounds all Apache helicopter training flights after fatal crash
New information:
- CBS reiterates that, as of Friday, August 14, 2026, the U.S. Army has temporarily grounded all Apache helicopter training flights following the fatal crash that killed two soldiers.
- The segment underscores that the grounding is specific to training flights for Apache helicopters and follows the earlier fatal maintenance test crash.
9:33 PM
Army temporarily grounds Apache helicopter training flights after deadly crash
New information:
- On Friday, August 14, 2026, the U.S. Army announced it is temporarily halting Apache helicopter training flights following the fatal crash earlier in the week near Fort Hood, Texas.
- In a public statement, the Army said the Apache training stand-down will remain in effect 'until we have a better understanding of the root cause of the accident.'
- The article characterizes the action as a temporary stand-down focused specifically on Apache helicopter training flights; it does not indicate that operational or combat missions are grounded.
6:53 PM
Army identifies soldiers killed in helicopter crash near Fort Hood
New information:
- On Friday, August 14, 2026, the Army publicly identified the two pilots killed in the August 12 Apache crash near Salado, Texas, as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey, 34, of Killeen, Texas, and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead, 25, of Belton, Texas.
- The Army said the AH-64 Apache went down Wednesday, August 12, 2026, in a grassy field near Salado during a maintenance test flight and that Huey and Olmstead were the only people on board.
- Both soldiers were assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood; Huey entered the Army in 2014 and Olmstead in 2023.
- A safety investigation team from the Army Combat Readiness Center at Fort Rucker, Alabama, arrived on Thursday, August 13, 2026, and is leading the crash investigation, according to the Army.
- Fort Hood commanding general Lt. Gen. Kevin D. Admiral issued a statement offering condolences to the families and saying the loss is felt throughout Army formations and the local community.
August 13, 2026
12:18 PM
2 soldiers killed in Apache helicopter crash in Texas
New information:
- CBS reiterates that on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, an Apache helicopter on a training flight crashed in central Texas, killing both crew members.
- The article states explicitly that the crash sparked a wildfire in the area.
- Army officials are cited as confirming the aircraft was on a training mission and that the U.S. Army has opened an investigation into the crash.
August 12, 2026
11:19 PM
Army Apache helicopter crashes, killing 2 crew members
New information:
- CBS published a follow-up video segment on August 12, 2026 reporting that an AH-64 Army Apache helicopter crashed Wednesday, killing both crew members on board.
- The clip reiterates that both people aboard the Apache were killed in the crash on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.