The U.S. Army has lifted its temporary suspension of Apache helicopter training missions following a deadly crash near Fort Hood last week that claimed the lives of two Texas soldiers.
Military officials announced Wednesday that flight operations would resume after a comprehensive review of safety protocols and procedures. The pause had been in place since August 14, two days after the fatal incident occurred.
The crash happened on August 12 when an Apache helicopter went down in a grassy field near Salado, a small community located roughly 30 miles north of Fort Hood. Both soldiers aboard the aircraft were killed on impact.
The two men killed were Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey, 34, of Killeen, and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead, 25, of Belton. Both cities are located in Central Texas near the massive military installation. Huey had served in the Army since 2014 while Olmstead had only recently joined in 2023.
Both soldiers were assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. The Army expressed deep condolences to the families and fellow service members mourning their loss.
The cause of the crash is still under active investigation by the Combat Readiness Center based in Fort Rucker, Alabama. No official findings have been released as the inquiry continues.
The Army stated that the decision to resume training came after a thorough safety review confirmed that operations could safely continue. Officials honored the fallen soldiers while emphasizing their commitment to the well-being of all aviation personnel.
This is not the first time the Army has halted Apache training missions in response to a crash. Three years ago the military grounded all aviation units following 12 soldier deaths in separate crashes in Alaska and Kentucky requiring additional training before operations resumed.
Fort Hood has a long and at times tragic history of accidents. Four soldiers died there during a Black Hawk training exercise in November 2015 and nine soldiers perished in 2016 when a flooded creek overtook their vehicle.
The Apache attack helicopter has been a foundational element of Army aviation since its introduction in 1984. More than 5,000 of the aircraft have been operated by the United States military and allied forces across decades of service worldwide.
The training suspension did not affect combat operations involving Apache helicopters currently deployed in active mission zones. The aircraft have been used in operations near the Strait of Hormuz as part of ongoing efforts to maintain open navigation channels in the region.
