Apaches Taking a Nosedive: Another Crash Raises Safety Concerns for the US Army

A US Army Apache helicopter crash during a training exercise in Washington state Monday night, March 25, has once again reignited concerns about the safety of these attack helicopters.

Yet Another Crash

Uh oh. Looks like the trusty Apache attack helicopter is back in the hot seat after another “aviation mishap” in Washington state. This time, two pilots got bumped and bruised during a routine training exercise.

While they thankfully walked (or maybe limped) away, the incident has everyone scratching their heads about what’s going on with these warbirds.

A Recent History of Trouble

This isn’t exactly the first time we’ve seen Apache mishaps.

Just in the past two months, there have been two other crashes – one near Salt Lake City that left some Utah National Guard pilots feeling worse for wear and another in Mississippi that ended tragically with the loss of two soldiers.

An Army helicopter crashed Monday night on Joint Base-Lewis McChord, and two pilots were transported to a hospital on base.https://t.co/sQ9A9M3Yjy

— Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) March 26, 2024

This string of bad luck comes right after the National Guard decided to ground its entire Apache fleet.

Apparently, they’re taking a long, hard look at their safety procedures to make sure things aren’t about to turn into a real-life “Top Gun” gone wrong.

The reason? A skyrocketing number of electrical power generator failures in the AH-64E Apaches.

Imagine thick smoke filling the cockpit—not exactly ideal when you’re trying to fly a multi-million dollar attack helicopter.

Talk about a visibility nightmare!

A Pattern of Past Peril

But hold on, this isn’t the Apaches’ first brush with disaster.

Back in April 2023, two of these bad boys tangled rotors mid-air, resulting in the tragic loss of three soldiers.

Yeesh, things are starting to sound a little “Final Destination” for Apache pilots.

If you are paying attention this makes 20 Class A accidents in FY23-24. https://t.co/z6C8XMTgSV

— Theresa M Long, MD, MPH, FS (@LTCTheresaLong) March 28, 2024

Time to Clip the Wings of These Crashes

So, what’s the deal with all these crashes?

The cause of the Washington incident is still under investigation, but it’s clear the US Army has some homework to do.

They need to figure out what’s causing these Apaches to fall from grace (literally) and take serious steps to make sure their pilots aren’t dodging flaming hulks of metal on a daily basis.

Here’s the thing: Apaches are supposed to be the top dogs, the ultimate fighting machines in the aerial arena. But with all these crashes, it’s starting to look like they might need a trip to the mechanic shop or maybe even a complete overhaul.

The Army can’t afford to keep rolling the dice with their pilots’ lives.

Thankfully, there was some good news in this whole mess as both pilots from the Washington crash managed to survive the incident.

One was taken by ground ambulance, while the other got a lift to Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM).

As of Tuesday (March 26) afternoon, both pilots were listed in stable condition at the hospital.

A Call for Action: From Top Guns to Tune-Ups

This whole situation is a bit of a bummer.

The Apache has been a mainstay in the US Army for decades, a symbol of American airpower.

But right now, its reputation is taking a nosedive (pun intended) faster than a faulty Apache with engine trouble.

Let’s hope the investigation gets to the bottom of these crashes quickly because the last thing we want is for these once-mighty birds to become flying deathtraps.