2 soldiers killed as Army Apache helicopter from Fort Hood crashes in Central Texas field
Two soldiers aboard an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter based at Fort Hood were killed Wednesday afternoon when the aircraft went down in a field near Salado, Texas, according to the Army and Bell County officials.
The helicopter crashed about 2:30 p.m. local time in a rural area south of the post, Bell County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Bill Coleman said. Both crew members were pronounced dead at the scene. The aircraft did not strike any homes or other structures.
“You could tell this was a violent crash,” Coleman said.
Brig. Gen. Ethan Diven, acting commanding general at Fort Hood, confirmed the helicopter was an AH-64 Apache assigned to the installation.
“Our immediate priority is securing the site and supporting the initial response efforts,” Diven said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the crew and their families as we await further information.”
The crash sparked a wildfire that was still burning out of control as of about 3:30 p.m., Coleman said. No additional details about the cause or the identities of the two soldiers were immediately released. The Army said it would release the names 24 hours after next of kin had been notified.
Fort Hood, one of the Army’s largest installations, sits near Killeen, roughly 70 miles north of Austin. The base is home to multiple combat aviation units, including Apache attack helicopter battalions, and routinely conducts training flights over the surrounding Central Texas countryside.
The Salado area, a small village along Interstate 35, is no stranger to military aircraft overhead. But Wednesday’s crash sent a plume of smoke into the sky and drew a large emergency response from area fire departments, sheriff's deputies and Army personnel.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Such accidents often lead to a formal Army safety investigation, with initial findings typically taking weeks. The loss comes as Army aviation has been under increased scrutiny after a series of high-profile military helicopter accidents in recent years, including fatal crashes involving Black Hawk and Apache helicopters during training missions.
For now, base officials said the focus remains on recovery and supporting the families and first responders.