Army grounds helicopter fleet for mandatory safety training after crashes

US Army Grounds Helicopter Fleet After Fatal Crashes

Tragedy struck the US Army recently when two helicopter crashes claimed the lives of 12 soldiers. As a result, the entire helicopter fleet has been grounded until further notice.

All noncritical pilots will undergo mandatory safety training to ensure they have the knowledge, training, and awareness to safely complete their assigned missions. The training will focus on safety and training protocols, according to a statement by Gen. James McConville.

Army Identifies Nine Soldiers Killed in Helicopter Collision

The most recent crash occurred in Alaska, where two Apache helicopters collided during training flights, killing three soldiers. This follows a similar incident in March, where two helicopters collided flying out of Fort Campbell in Kentucky, killing nine.

All active-duty pilots must complete the training by May 5, while National Guard and Army Reserve units have until May 31. McConville emphasized that the stand-down is “an important step to make certain we are doing everything possible to prevent accidents and protect our personnel.”

A team from Fort Novosel will be investigating the most recent crash beginning Saturday, according to the Associated Press.

This is not the first time the Army has instituted a stand-down of this scale. The last time was in 2015 after three helicopter crashes occurred within 10 days, including the deadliest training accident in history off the coast of Florida.

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