By The Daily Caller (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-13 14:36:37 | Updated at 2026-08-13 16:19:05
15 hours ago
Two pilots died when an Army attack helicopter went down in a field south of Salado, Texas, on Wednesday afternoon, starting a grass fire in the process.
The AH-64 Apache, based at Fort Hood, hit the ground around 1:35 p.m. Both crew members were pronounced dead roughly an hour later, Bell County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Cliff Coleman told CNN. The aircraft crashed in an open field and struck no buildings or people, Coleman said.
“It crashed into a field. You could tell it was a violent crash,” he told CBS Austin. (RELATED: Four Injured After US Coast Guard Helicopter Crashes In Alaska)
The wreck touched off a blaze that Texas A&M Forest Service crews later named the Dove Hollow Fire, according to CBS Austin. The fire consumed roughly 100 acres and reached 45% containment by 5:00 p.m., the forest service reported. Residents nearby were told to leave, and Salado Fire and Bell County ESD No. 1 warned drivers that a local rural road had become impassable and to seek other routes, according to CBS Austin.
The helicopter belonged to the 1st Cavalry Division and crashed less than 20 miles from the Fort Hood installation, according to CNN and CBS Austin.
Military personnel, local police and firefighters, and the Texas Department of Public Safety all responded to the crash, according to KUT. Fort Hood and the sheriff’s office have opened a joint investigation into what brought the aircraft down.
“Our immediate priority is securing the site and supporting the initial response efforts,” acting commanding general Brig. Gen. Ethan Diven said in a statement carried by CNN. “Our thoughts are with the crew and their families as we await further information.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott posted his condolences on X.
Today, an Apache helicopter crashed in Bell County during Fort Hood operations, killing two members of our military.
Join Cecilia and me in prayer for their families and the entire Fort Hood community. Texas is forever indebted to those who serve our state and nation.…
“Today, an Apache helicopter crashed in Bell County during Fort Hood operations, killing two members of our military,” Abbott wrote. “Join Cecilia and me in prayer for their families and the entire Fort Hood community. Texas is forever indebted to those who serve our state and nation.”
The two-seat Apache carries a pilot in the rear and a co-pilot and gunner up front, according to the U.S. Army. Investigators have not determined where the helicopter departed from or where it was flying, and officials withheld the pilots’ names pending notification of their families, according to News4SanAntonio.
