Army endures third Apache mishap in two months
An Army AH-64E Apache helicopter accident in Washington state on Monday night sent two crew members to the hospital, an official confirmed.
The pair survived the aviation mishap and were taken to Madigan Army Medical Center, where they remain “in stable condition,” a spokesperson from 7th Infantry Division told Military Times Wednesday. The identities of the crew members and extent of their injuries remain unclear as of press time.
The cause of the incident, which occurred at approximately 9:30 p.m. during a 16th Combat Aviation Brigade training exercise, is under investigation, the spokesperson said.
Boeing flies upgraded AH-64E Apache for first time
The incident marks the third Apache mishap in the last two months. In February, following a pair of AH-64D Apache helicopter crashes, the Army National Guard ordered a component-wide pause on flight missions.
This is not the first Apache incident in Washington in recent memory, either. Last fall, an aviation mishap occurred that led to the crew’s evacuation for medical evaluation. And last May, an accident during a routine training exercise at Yakima Training Center sent the crew to the hospital.
Those incidents followed a string of Army helicopter crashes — including in Alabama, Kentucky and Alaska — that left more than a dozen personnel dead and brought about a force-wide safety stand down in April 2023, requiring pilots to complete a mandatory safety training program.
