Key takeaways:
- The Army temporarily halted AH-64 Apache training flights after a fatal crash Wednesday near Salado, Texas, close to Fort Hood.
- The pilots killed were identified as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey, 34, and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead, 25, with CBS News reporting the second surname as Olmsted.
- The crash sparked a grass fire that burned about 155 acres and threatened five homes and nine outbuildings, with all but one outbuilding saved.
The U.S. Army has temporarily halted AH-64 Apache training flights after two soldiers were killed when their attack helicopter crashed during a maintenance test flight near Fort Hood, Texas.
The Army said Friday the stand-down will remain in place while investigators examine what caused Wednesday’s crash in a field near rural Salado, Texas. “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.
The two pilots were identified as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey, 34, and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead, 25, according to Fort Hood. CBS News reported the second pilot’s name as Seth L. Olmsted. Both men were Texas natives and were assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.
Huey, of Killeen, joined the Army in February 2014 as a motor transport operator and had been assigned to the unit since February 2022. Olmstead, of Belton, joined the Army in January 2023 as a warrant officer candidate and had been assigned to the unit since October 2025, Fort Hood said in a news release.
Officials responded after receiving 911 calls around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Bell County Sheriff’s Office said. The helicopter did not strike any buildings, but the impact ignited a grass fire.
“You could tell this was a violent crash,” Bell County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Bill Coleman told reporters.
The fire grew to about 155 acres, the sheriff’s office said. Five homes and nine outbuildings were threatened; all but one outbuilding were saved. The fire has been fully contained, and fire officials expected to declare it 100% controlled around 5 p.m. Sunday, barring significant flare-ups, the sheriff’s office said.
The Army said the Apache “experienced a mishap” during the maintenance test flight but has not specified a cause. The crash remains under investigation. Temporary stand-downs are not unusual after fatal military aviation crashes, especially when investigators have not determined a cause.
“The Army is profoundly saddened by the loss of two Soldiers in the recent AH64 Apache helicopter crash near Fort Hood, Texas,” the Army said Friday. “We mourn these aviators, and our deepest condolences remain with their families, friends, and unit during this extraordinarily difficult time.”
Lt. Gen. Kevin D. Admiral, commanding general of III Armored Corps and Fort Hood, also expressed condolences. “Our hearts and deepest condolences are with the families of the soldiers we lost Wednesday,” he said. “The Army is a family, and a tragedy like this is felt throughout our formations and our community.”
The AH-64 Apache is a twin-engine, four-bladed, multi-mission attack helicopter. The Army describes it as a highly stable aerial weapons-delivery platform and “the most advanced aerial fighting vehicle in the world.” The helicopter typically seats a pilot and a co-pilot gunner, is equipped with a rapid-fire gun and can launch Hellfire missiles.
Hundreds of Apaches are operated by Army and National Guard units. CBS News reported that the helicopters have been used during the U.S.-Iran war, and that in June an Apache patrolling the Strait of Hormuz was shot down by an Iranian drone, with the two pilots later rescued by a sea drone.
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