The U.S. Army has ordered a temporary stand-down of AH-64 Apache training flights after two soldiers were killed when an Apache from Fort Hood crashed near Salado, Texas, on Wednesday.

The Army said the pause will remain in place “until we have a better understanding of the root cause of the accident.”

The Associated Press reported that the Apache came down in a central Texas field during a routine training flight, killing both people on board and sparking a wildfire that forced evacuations.

Bell County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Cliff Coleman said the helicopter did not hit homes or structures, but described it as a “violent crash", according to the report.

The Army later identified the pilots as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey, 34, and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead, 25.

Apache Crashes and Safety Incidents

The Fort Hood crash adds to a series of serious Apache mishaps in recent years, including fatal crashes, training accidents and incidents that prompted safety pauses.

March 2024, Colorado and Washington: Two Apaches crashed in separate training incidents within days, one at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington and another at Fort Carson in Colorado; both crews sustained injuries, according to aviation and defense reports.

February 2024, Mississippi: Two Mississippi Army National Guard aviators were killed when their AH-64 crashed near Booneville during a routine training flight. The Army Guard then ordered a helicopter safety stand-down after that crash and an earlier Utah Apache mishap.

February 2024, Utah: A Utah Army Guard Apache went down near West Jordan; two pilots were injured.

April 2023, Alaska: Two AH-64 Apaches from Fort Wainwright collided near Healy, killing three soldiers and injuring a fourth, Army Times reported. The crash followed another Alaska Apache rollover in February 2023 that injured two soldiers, the outlet added.

May 2023, Washington: An Apache from Joint Base Lewis-McChord crashed during training at Yakima Training Center, injuring two soldiers, according to VeteranLife.

February 2021, Alabama: An AH-64 Apache crashed at Hooper Stagefield near Fort Rucker, injuring both crew members, according to Army Times.

How That Compares With Other US Military Aircraft

The Apache’s recent record can be viewed alongside other serious U.S. military aviation mishaps.

2026

March 12, 2026, western Iraq: U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker crashed.

June 15, 2026, Edwards Air Force Base, California: U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff.

June 13, 2026, southeast of Seattle, Washington: Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet mishap during routine training.

2025

January 28, 2025, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska: Air Force F-35A Lightning II crashed.

January 29, 2025, Washington, D.C.: Army UH-60 Black Hawk collided with an American Airlines regional jet near Reagan National Airport.

February 6, 2025, Maguindanao del Sur, Philippines: DoD-contracted Beechcraft King Air 350 surveillance aircraft crashed.

October 16, 2025, near Imperial Gables, California: Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper mishap.

2024

January 4, 2024, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota: Air Force B-1B Lancer crashed during landing.

February 6, 2024, Pine Valley, California: Marine Corps CH-53E helicopter crashed during training.

April 30, 2024, near Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico: Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon crashed.

May 28, 2024, Albuquerque, New Mexico: F-35B crashed after refueling at Kirtland AFB.

2023

February 15, 2023, near Huntsville, Alabama: Tennessee Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk crashed.

March 29, 2023, Cadiz, Kentucky: Two Army HH-60 aircraft collided during night training.

August 27, 2023, Melville Island, Australia: Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey crashed.

November 29, 2023, near Yakushima, Japan: Air Force CV-22B Osprey crashed.

2022

March 18, 2022, near Bodø, Norway: Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey crashed.

March 30, 2022, near Wallops Island/Chincoteague, Virginia: Navy E-2D Advanced Hawkeye crashed.

June 8, 2022, Glamis, California: Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey crashed.

2021

August 31, 2021, off San Diego, California: MH-60S helicopter crashed into the sea after operating from USS Abraham Lincoln.

November 19, 2021, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas: Two T-38C Talons collided during landing.

2020

June 15, 2020, North Sea near RAF Lakenheath, U.K.: F-15C Eagle crashed during training.

December 8, 2020, Hiawatha National Forest, Michigan: F-16C Fighting Falcon crashed during nighttime training.

2019

March 30, 2019, MCAS Yuma, Arizona: AH-1Z Viper crashed during routine training.

November 21, 2019, Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma: Two T-38C Talons collided during attempted formation landing.

2018

May 2, 2018, near Savannah, Georgia: Puerto Rico Air National Guard WC-130H Hercules crashed.

November 13, 2018, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas: T-38C Talon crashed.

December 6, 2018, off Kochi, Japan: Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet and KC-130J Hercules “mishap.”

2017

July 10, 2017, Leflore County, Mississippi: KC-130T Hercules crashed.

2016

January 14, 2016, off Oahu, Hawaii: Two CH-53E Super Stallions went down.

May 19, 2016, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam: B-52H Stratofortress crashed during an aborted takeoff during a routine training mission.

June 2, 2016, Smyrna, Tennessee: Navy Blue Angels F/A-18C Hornet crashed during air show practice.

Contact Newsweek editor on this story: Edward Pearcey.