Two people were killed on 12 August 2026 when a US Army Apache attack helicopter went down in fields near the village of Salado in central Texas, officials confirmed. Police responded to an emergency call at around 13:33 local time (18:33 GMT) after reports of wreckage south of the village, and both occupants were pronounced dead at the scene.
The aircraft was identified as an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter assigned to nearby Fort Hood, a major US Army installation. Bell County Sheriff's Office spokesman Cliff Coleman said officers arriving at the scene found not only the crash site but also a large fire that was
getting out of control very quickly.
Did the crash cause damage on the ground?
According to Bell County officials cited by a local news report, the helicopter did not strike any structures or people, though nearby residents were evacuated because of the fire that broke out at the crash site. The blaze was described by a national outlet as significant and initially uncontrolled, with emergency crews working to contain it, according to CNN.
Where exactly did the helicopter go down?
The crash occurred in a field near FM 2843, and local responders reported that the road through the affected area became impassable, according to a regional radio station's report. As of the latest updates, the helicopter's point of origin and its intended destination remained unknown, per the same local report. Emergency responders, military personnel and law enforcement officers were all reported on the scene.
The US Army confirmed an investigation into the crash is underway alongside continuing emergency response efforts. Brig Gen Ethan Diven, the acting commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division, said:
Our immediate priority is securing the site and supporting the initial response efforts.
Our thoughts are with the crew and their families as we await further information.
Has this happened before?
This is not the first fatal Apache crash involving Texas-based forces in recent memory; a separate Apache helicopter crash near Galveston Bay previously killed two Texas Army National Guard crew members, according to a national broadcaster's report. Separately, the AH-64 Apache has been in the news this year after President Trump accused Iran of downing a US Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz, an incident from which the two crew members were rescued unharmed.
The AH-64 Apache is a twin-engine, four-bladed, multi-mission attack helicopter capable of armed reconnaissance, close combat, mobile strike and vertical maneuver operations, according to the US Army. It carries a crew of two — a pilot seated in the rear cockpit and a co-pilot gunner positioned in front.
What happens next?
The Fort Hood Criminal Investigation Division is reportedly leading the inquiry into the cause of the crash, according to the regional radio station's report. The Army has said the crash site will remain secured while investigators and emergency personnel continue their work and gather further details, according to CNN.
Key Facts
- Two people died when an AH-64 Apache helicopter crashed near Salado, Texas, on 12 August 2026.
- The aircraft was based at Fort Hood; the crash sparked a large, initially uncontrolled fire.
- No structures or people on the ground were struck, but evacuations were ordered near FM 2843.
- The helicopter's origin and destination remain unknown.
- The Fort Hood Criminal Investigation Division is investigating the cause.
