US Army orders aviation safety stand down following deadly helicopter crashes

The chief of personnel of the United States Army has actually grounded all Army pilots not associated with crucial objectives following 2 current helicopter crashes that left 12 soldiers dead.

The order from Army Chief of Personnel James McConville premises the pilots “till they finish the needed training,” according to the Army.

” The security of our pilots is our leading concern, and this stand down is a crucial action to ensure we are doing whatever possible to avoid mishaps and safeguard our workers,” McConville stated in a declaration.

Army pilots, at McConville’s instructions, “will concentrate on security and training procedures to guarantee our pilots and teams have the understanding, training and awareness to securely finish their appointed objective.”.

The security stand down follows Thursday’s mid-air crash of 2 AH-64 Apache helicopters near Fort Wainwright, Alaska, that eliminated 3 soldiers and injured another. 2 of the soldiers passed away at the scene and the 3rd passed away while being carried to a medical facility, according to a release from the United States Army’s 11th Airborne Department.

The crash happened about 100 miles south of Fort Wainwright, where the helicopters are based as part of the first Attack Battalion, 25th Air Travel Routine.

” This is an amazing loss for these soldiers’ households, their fellow soldiers, and for the department,” Maj. Gen. Brian Eifler, commanding general of the 11th Airborne Department, stated in the release. “Our hearts and prayers head out to their households, pals and enjoyed ones, and we are making the complete resources of the Army readily available to support them.”.

That fatal crash came simply weeks after 9 soldiers were eliminated when 2 HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters crashed throughout a nighttime training objective near Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the Army stated.

The medical evacuation helicopters were carrying out a regular training objective when they crashed at roughly 10:00 pm regional time in an open field throughout from a suburb. All 9 of the service members aboard the 2 airplane were eliminated.

The occurrences are under examination, according to the Army, however “there is no indicator of any pattern” in between the 2.