An Army attack helicopter crashed into a field in central Texas, killing both people aboard and igniting a wildfire that forced nearby homes to be evacuated. The AH-64 Apache went down during a routine training flight, according to a military official who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity. No cause of the crash has been announced, and the Army’s criminal investigation division is leading the probe. The helicopter did not strike any homes or other structures, according to Cliff Coleman, a spokesman for the local sheriff’s office. But the crash was violent enough to leave a charred field, and wreckage engulfed in flames. “You could tell it was a violent crash,” Coleman said. “Our immediate priority is securing the site and supporting the initial response efforts,” Brig. Gen. Ethan Diven, the acting commanding general, said. “Our thoughts are with the crew and their families as we await further information.” The Apache has been a mainstay of the U.S. military since its first deployment in 1984. Its two-person crew sits in tandem, with the pilot behind the co-pilot gunner.
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