Apache helicopter crash killing 3 forces US Army to ground aviators
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In the wake of a pair of AH-64 Apache helicopters based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska crashing into each other on Thursday, 27th May, Gen. James McConville, Chief of Staff of the U.S Army grounded all its aircraft except those on “critical missions”.
The crash, which claimed the lives of three soldiers of the 11th Airborne Division— nicknamed the “Arctic Angels”— and hospitalized another comes after another crash involving two Black Hawk medical evacuation helicopters during a routine training exercise in Kentucky which saw nine soldiers lose their lives.
While little information about the crash was released, John Pennell, spokesperson for the U.S. Army Alaska, conveyed that Military investigators were on their way to Alaska with a team from Fort Novosel, Alabama.
The order issued grounded aircraft, including planes deployed overseas in Europe, Iraq, and Syria, and pilots until they complete the required training. However, according to Military.com, an officer at the rank of two-star General or above can override the stand down in emergencies such as medical evacuations.
“The safety of our aviators is our top priority, and this stand down is an important step to make certain we are doing everything possible to prevent accidents and protect our personnel,” said the General in a statement. “During this stand down, we will focus on safety and training protocols to ensure our pilots and crews have the knowledge, training and awareness to safely complete their assigned mission.”
Although this latest crash near Healy, Alaska, and the one in Kentucky are still under investigation, the Army ruled out any connection between the two, saying “there is no indication of any pattern between the two mishaps.”
Healy, 10 miles north of the Denali National Park and Preserve and home to about 1,000 people, is the town closest to the abandoned bus popularized by the book ‘Into the Wild’ and the movie of the same name.
In February, an Apache helicopter— one among four from the 25th Attack Battalion at Fort Wainwright traveling to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage for training— was involved in a rollover accident, injuring two soldiers. The four helicopters had stopped in Talkeetna, 110 miles (177 kilometers) north of Anchorage, to refuel.
Gen. McConville, himself a senior aviator qualified in the AH-64D Longbow Apache and other aircraft, assumed duties as the 40th Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army on August 9, 2019.
Training for active-duty units is scheduled between May 1 and 5, while Army National Guard and Reserve units have until the 31st of May to complete the same.
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