Army Apache helicopter crashes near Fort Hood, kills 2

An Army Apache helicopter crashed near Fort Hood in Bell County, Texas, on Wednesday afternoon, killing both people on board.

• 1:35 p.m. local time was when the helicopter went down.
• 2 pilots aboard were confirmed dead by Bell County Sheriff's Office spokesman Cliff Coleman.
• A large, uncontrolled wildfire broke out at the crash site.
• Road closures near the crash site were also reported.

Why it matters: Apache helicopters typically carry two crew members and are based at Fort Hood, one of the Army's largest installations. A crash with fatalities triggers Army safety and accident investigations.

• The wildfire sparked by the crash required emergency crews and created hazards beyond the immediate crash zone.

How 22 sources split on this story

What’s next: A Fort Hood spokesperson said a statement would be released soon.

• The cause of the crash and crew identities had not been publicly disclosed as of initial reporting.
• What caused the helicopter to crash?
• Have the two pilots been publicly identified?
• How large did the wildfire grow and was it contained?