Two soldiers are dead after a military helicopter crashes in Texas, sparking a fire

Add NBC News to Google Two killed in military helicopter crash in Texas 00:40 Get more news on Share Add NBC News to Google Aug. 12, 2026, 5:41 PM EDT / Updated Aug. 12, 2026, 7:39 PM EDT By Joe Kottke Two soldiers who were on a military helicopter were killed Wednesday when it crashed in Salado, Texas, the Bell County Sheriff’s Office said.

They were pronounced dead after officials responded to 911 calls around 1:30 p.m., sheriff’s spokesperson Cliff Coleman said. Salado is about 50 miles north of Austin.

The Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter is based at Fort Hood, the military installation said.

The soldiers were taken to Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood, and their names are being withheld until 24 hours after their families could be notified.

“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families, friends, and fellow Troopers of those involved during this incredibly difficult time,” Brig. Gen. Ethan Diven, acting commanding general of the 1 st Cavalry Division, said in a statement.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott asked for prayers for the soldiers’ families and the Fort Hood community. “Texas is forever indebted to those who serve our state and nation,” he wrote on X .

No structures were damaged, and no other injuries were reported, Coleman said.

“It crashed into a field, and you could tell it was a violent crash,” Coleman told reporters at the scene.

The crash caused a large fire that “looks to be out of control,” he said. It burned a large area of land and prompted some evacuations in the area.

As of 7 p.m., the fire had spread to 155 acres and was 85% contained, Coleman said.

Local emergency responders, military personnel and law enforcement officers all responded to the incident. The Criminal Investigation Division at Fort Hood is leading the inquiry.

The AH-64 Apache is a twin-engine, four-bladed, multi-mission attack helicopter designed as a highly stable aerial weapons-delivery platform, the Army says on its website , calling it “the most advanced aerial fighting vehicle in the world.”

Joe Kottke Joe Kottke is an assignment editor at NBC News covering breaking news across the Americas, including politics, immigration, crime and severe weather.