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Seven recent US Army Apache and Black Hawk (pictured) crashes have resulted in eight deaths, leading to a domestic grounding. (Sikorsky)
Key Points
- The US Army has grounded domestically based combat helicopters following a string of fatal accidents
- The four-day stand-down will allow the army to review flight-mission briefing processes, unit pre-accident plans, and aircraft maintenance procedures
"The decision to ground our aircraft today is taken with the utmost seriousness and my responsibility as the commander of US Army Forces Command," General Robert B Abrams said in a statement. The move "will permit army aviation leaders specific time to review army aviation training procedures and helicopter safety precautions to manage risk, and to avoid accidental loss of aviation personnel and equipment".
The loss of a Boeing AH-64D Apache attack helicopter out of Fort Hood, Texas, on 2 December was the army's third fatal crash in 10 days. On 23 November another US Army Apache crashed in South Korea, while a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk went down at Fort Hood. The aircraft were all on training missions.
In addition to 10 army bases, the four-day grounding also includes Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, FORSCOM spokesman Paul Boyce told IHS Jane's . The grounding does not affect overseas army installations, he added.
Gen Abrams has directed army aviation leaders within FORSCOM to review flight-mission briefing processes, unit pre-accident plans, and aircraft maintenance procedures. Further, unit-level investigations of the recent accidents are under way, according to FORSCOM.
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US Army grounds helos after fatal crashes | IHS Jane's 360