Two people are dead after a military helicopter crashes in Texas, sparking a fire

Two people who were on board a military helicopter were killed Wednesday when it crashed in Salado, Texas, the Bell County Sheriff’s Office said.

They were pronounced dead after officials responded to 911 calls around 1:30 p.m., said Cliff Coleman of the Bell County Sheriff’s Office. Salado is about 50 miles north of Austin.

The AH-64 U.S. Army Apache attack helicopter is based at Fort Hood, the military installation said.

“Our immediate priority is securing the site and supporting the initial response efforts,” Brig. Gen. Ethan Diven, acting commanding general, said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the crew and their families as we await further information.”

The victims have not yet been publicly identified.

The scene of a helicopter crash in Salado, Texas on Aug. 12, 2026. — The scene of a helicopter crash in Salado, Texas on Wednesday.Bell County Sheriff’s Office

No structures were damaged, and no other injuries were reported, Coleman said.

“It crashed into a field, and you could tell it was a violent crash,” Coleman told reporters on scene.

The crash caused a large fire that “looks to be out of control,” he said. It has led to a large area of land being burned and has prompted some evacuations in the area.

Local emergency responders, military personnel and law enforcement all responded to the incident. The criminal investigation division of Fort Hood is leading the inquiry.

The AH-64 Apache helicopter is a twin-engine, four-bladed, multi-mission attack helicopter designed as a highly stable aerial weapons-delivery platform, the Army said on its website, calling it “the most advanced aerial fighting vehicle in the world.”

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