U.S. Army Identifies 2 Soldiers Killed in Texas Apache Crash

Q: What critical failure turned a routine Apache maintenance flight into a fatal crash that sparked a massive wildfire near Texas homes?

It has not been publicly determined. The Army has said only that the AH-64E Apache “experienced a mishap” during a maintenance test flight near Salado, and investigators have not yet released the specific mechanical or systems failure that caused the crash. What is known is that the helicopter went down in a grassy field around 1:40 p.m. near homes south of Salado, killing Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead, the only two soldiers on board. The impact and post-crash fire ignited a fast-moving grass fire—reported at roughly 100 to 155 acres—that threatened several homes and outbuildings and prompted evacuations before firefighters contained it. Because it was a maintenance test flight, investigators are likely examining whether a post-maintenance issue affected a critical flight system, such as the engines, rotor, drive train, or flight controls. But no official findings have been released, and any claim about the exact failure would be speculation until the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center completes its investigation.

3 articles · Updated · Military Times · Aug 14

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey, 34, and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead, 25, were identified as the two soldiers killed in Wednesday’s Apache helicopter crash near Salado, Texas.
The AH-64 went down around 1:40 p.m. CST outside a Texas base, and the Army said both soldiers died in the crash.
Huey joined the Army in 2014 and listed Killeen, Texas, as his home of record; Olmstead entered as a warrant officer candidate in 2023 and listed Belton, Texas.
A U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center team from Fort Rucker, Alabama, is leading the investigation into what caused the crash.