The US Army has identified two pilots killed when an AH-64E Apache helicopter crashed during a training exercise near Salado, Texas, on Wednesday, with the accident also sparking a wildfire and a major emergency response.
Fort Hood identified the soldiers as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey, 34, of Killeen, Texas, and Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead, 25, of Belton, Texas. Both were assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division's 1st Air Cavalry Brigade.
Who was Deontre T. Huey?
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey, 34, was from Killeen, Texas. He joined the Army in 2014 as a motor transport operator before moving into aviation.
{{/usCountry}}Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deontre T. Huey, 34, was from Killeen, Texas. He joined the Army in 2014 as a motor transport operator before moving into aviation.
{{/usCountry}}Huey was assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division in February 2022.
His death marks the loss of a soldier who had served in the Army for more than a decade.
Who was Seth L. Olmstead?
Warrant Officer Seth L. Olmstead, 25, was a native of Belton, Texas.
Olmstead entered the Army in January 2023 as a warrant officer candidate and was assigned to the aviation unit in October 2025.
Both Huey and Olmstead were serving with the 1st Cavalry Division's 1st Air Cavalry Brigade when the Apache went down near Salado.
What happened in the Salado helicopter crash?
The soldiers died when their AH-64E Apache helicopter crashed into a field near Salado, roughly 30 minutes from Fort Hood, during a training exercise Wednesday. The crash triggered a wildfire and required a large emergency response.
The Army has launched an investigation into the crash. A safety investigation team from the US Army Combat Readiness Center at Fort Rucker, Alabama, arrived August 13 to lead the investigation.
The cause of the crash has not been disclosed.
Fort Hood mourns two soldiers
Lt. Gen. Kevin D. Admiral, III Armored Corps and Fort Hood commanding general, expressed condolences to the families of the two soldiers.
“Our hearts and deepest condolences are with the families of the Soldiers we lost Wednesday,” Admiral said in a statement released by the Army. He added that the military community would feel the loss and said resources would be made available to support the affected families and soldiers.
The investigation will determine what led to the deadly training accident as the Army and the families of Huey and Olmstead mourn the two soldiers.