Two U.S. Army soldiers were killed Wednesday when an AH-64E Apache based at Fort Hood went down during a routine training flight near Salado, Texas. Bell County authorities began receiving reports of the accident at about 1:34 p.m.
Fire Prompts Evacuations
The aircraft came down in a field, sparking a grass fire that prompted several nearby homes to be evacuated out of precaution. The Bell County Sheriff’s Office said no homes or other structures were struck in the accident.
“Our immediate priority is securing the site and supporting the initial response efforts,” said Brig. Gen. Ethan Diven, acting commanding general 1st Cavalry Division, in an Army statement. Our thoughts are with the crew and their families as we await further information.”
Cause Under Investigation
Fort Hood’s Criminal Investigation Division is leading the investigation into the accident. No cause had been announced as of Thursday morning.
The Army had not released the soldiers’ names. Fort Hood said their identities would be withheld until 24 hours after notification of next of kin.
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