Apache Helicopter Crash Injures Two Army Aviators

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An AH-64 Apache helicopter hovers.
An AH-64 Apache helicopter hovers in front of the sun and conducts movement drills. (U.S. Army/Sgt. Duncan Brennan)

An Army AH-64 Apache helicopter on a training flight crashed at Fort Rucker, Alabama, on Thursday, injuring the two aviators onboard.

The crash occurred at approximately 3 p.m. at Hooper Stagefield near Rucker. The two aviators in the gunship did not suffer life-threatening injuries, Fort Rucker spokesman Jimmie Cummings Jr. told Military.com.

One aviator was released from the hospital Thursday evening, and the other will be released in a few days, he added.

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The Army classified the incident as an aviation mishap, without specifying the severity. But there was damage to the aircraft, according to a news release from Rucker.

WTVY.com had video footage of the aftermath of the crash that shows the Apache on its side and the tail section bent at a severe angle.

There were few details available about the circumstances of the crash, said Cummings, adding that it is not known "how high in the air" the Apache was flying when it went down.

The Army Safety Center at Rucker is investigating the incident, which follows two deadly UH-60 Black Hawk crashes earlier this year.

A Feb. 2 Black Hawk crash that killed three Idaho Army National Guard soldiers occurred about two weeks after a Jan. 20 Black Hawk crash killed three New York Guard pilots.

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.

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