Two Army Pilots Killed in Helicopter Crash Near Salado, Texas; Apache Training Flights Halted
The Army identified the two pilots killed in the August 12 crash near Fort Hood and said a safety investigation team is working to determine what happened.
This is a developing story. Details reported early are provisional and are frequently revised. Where sources disagree, both readings are given.
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Reference data
From aircraft and geographic registries, not from the news sources. Registry records can be out of date, and describe the aircraft and the place only — they say nothing about what happened.
- Terrain elevation
- 614 ft
- Nearest aerodrome
- 1.8 miles N of Salado Airport (73TA)
Sources
- 2 soldiers killed after Army Apache helicopter crashes in Texas, authorities sayksla.com
- Army temporarily halts Apache helicopter training missions after Texas crash that killed 2bostonherald.com
- Army temporarily grounds Apache helicopter training flights after 2 soldiers die in Texas crashcbsnews.com
- Army temporarily halts Apache helicopter training missions after Texas crash that killed 2ksat.com
Revision history
- Version 415 Aug 2026, 00:44current
Added KSAT attribution for casualty, souls-on-board and investigation details; noted the individual aircraft has not been identified and cited Army registry holdings; added geographic reference data for Salado.
- Version 314 Aug 2026, 22:39
Replaced the phrase "in other reporting in the fact set" with an attribution to the reporting itself ("in some accounts of the Army's identification"), preserving the Olmstead/Olmsted spelling discrepancy. Deleted the final paragraph citing unattributed "geographic reference data" (Salado elevation and nearby airports), which used pipeline language and rested on no source in the fact set. Added the sourced open-investigation status to the closing paragraph. Aircraft-type disagreement (AH-64 Apache per KSLA and CBS News; Apache helicopter per the Boston Herald) and the two competing accounts of the investigation status remain reported side by side.
- Version 214 Aug 2026, 22:33
Added the Army's identification of the two crew members and their unit, the Aug. 14 Apache training stand-down, the Army Combat Readiness Center investigation, the crash site's distance from Fort Hood, and the aircraft-type discrepancy between the two outlets.
- Version 114 Aug 2026, 02:44
First published.
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