Apache military helicopter crashes near Salado, Texas; 2 on board killed
A Fort Hood Apache military helicopter has reportedly crashed in a field near Salado, Texas, killing both people on board and sparking an out-of-control wildfire that forced several evacuations, according to local officials.
The first 911 calls were received at about 1:34 p.m. after the helicopter went down about half a mile west of 16400 Kuykendall Branch Road, south of Salado, according to Bell County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Cliff Coleman.
Deputies arrived to find the wreckage in a field and a wildfire spreading through the surrounding area. “It was a violent crash,” Coleman said.
The aircraft was an Apache helicopter with two people on board, according to information provided to the sheriff’s office by the Fort Hood Criminal Investigation Division. Both occupants were pronounced dead at 2:30 p.m.
Their identities have not been released. Officials have also not confirmed whether they were U.S. service members.
Coleman said the helicopter is believed to be from Fort Hood, but he deferred definitive confirmation to military investigators. The Fort Hood Criminal Investigation Division is leading the investigation.
The wildfire ramins uncontained, with strong winds complicating efforts to bring it under control. “This is a large fire that looks to be out of control,” Coleman said. Several people have been evacuated.
Salado is in Central Texas, about 20 miles southeast of Fort Hood. The major U.S. Army installation is home to aviation units that regularly conduct helicopter operations in the region.
U.S. Representative John Carter, whose 31st Congressional District includes Salado and Fort Hood, said his office is monitoring the crash.
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