US Army attack helicopters crashing at historically high rate amid mechanical issues
CNN found the fleet’s crash rate at 6.24 per 100,000 flying hours as Army and Boeing investigate transmission failures affecting about 10% of attack helicopters.
- US Army Apache helicopters are crashing at a historically high rate, with five major incidents in fiscal year 2026 putting the year on pace to be the second worst for accidents since the E-model AH-64 was introduced in 2011.
- Internal safety messages identified 70 potentially faulty transmissions in the E-model Apache, prompting the Army to ground affected aircraft. A follow-up message in mid-July added 10 more suspect transmissions to the no-fly list as the root cause remains under investigation.
- Army data estimates a major crash rate of approximately 6.24 per 100,000 flying hours, with Class A mishaps defined as accidents killing or permanently disabling personnel or resulting in $2.5 million or more in damage. Fiscal year 2024, by comparison, had a rate of 7.02 per 100,000 hours.
- A deadly crash earlier this month in Texas killed two soldiers and sparked a wildfire, prompting the Army to temporarily pause routine training flights. The service announced that this pause, which exempted units deployed to the Middle East, ended on Wednesday.
- Army spokesperson Montrell Russell declined to disclose preliminary findings on the Texas crash, stating that 'special controls and release protections' prevent detailed technical disclosures. The Army and Boeing have not confirmed how many of this year's crashes relate to transmission issues.
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Army Grounds Some Apaches as Crash Rate Climbs and Transmission Defect Investigation Expands
The U.S. Army is investigating a transmission problem affecting AH-64E Apache attack helicopters as the aircraft experience one of their highest major accident rates since the model entered service, with five major crashes since last October and roughly one-tenth of the fleet affected by transmission-related grounding orders.
U.S. Army Apache helicopters are suffering accidents at a historically high rate due to a widespread problem with the transmission of the model, according to a CNN analysis of military accident data.
Five Major Apache Crashes Raise Fresh Army Safety Concerns
The US Army Apache attack helicopters are experiencing a sharp rise in major crashes, with mechanical problems involving their transmissions emerging as a significant concern, according to a CNN analysis of military accident data. Five major Apache crashes have occurred since October, including a deadly Texas crash this month that killed two soldiers. The Army temporarily suspended routine Apache training flights following the incident before li…
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