Two dead after Apache attack helicopter crashes in central Texas

Officials in central Texas on Wednesday confirmed that two people were killed after the military helicopter they were flying crashed in Salado.

The Bell County Sheriff’s Office said the AH-64 U.S. Army Apache attack helicopter, which is based at Fort Hood, crashed into a field, sparking a wildfire and some evacuations, although no homes or structures were damaged. Two individuals were pronounced dead around 2:30 p.m. local time after officials responded to 911 calls Wednesday in Salado, which is over 50 miles north of Austin.

“You could tell it was a violent crash,” Cliff Coleman, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office, told reporters.

The crash occurred roughly 30 minutes from Fort Hood. The cause of the incident remains unknown, and the identities of the people onboard have not yet been released. The Army’s Criminal Investigation Division at Fort Hood is leading the investigation into the incident, according to officials.

“Join Cecilia and me in prayer for their families and the entire Fort Hood community,” Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) said in a statement on X. “Texas is forever indebted to those who serve our state and nation.”

A tanker aircraft dumps fire retardant on a field southwest of Salado, Texas, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, after a military helicopter crashed and sparked a grass fire. (Brent Johnson/The Killeen Daily Herald via AP)

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Brig. Gen. Ethan Diven, acting commanding general, confirmed the incident in a statement, writing that “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,” he added.