Wednesday afternoon marked a dark day for Army Aviation after an attack helicopter went down during a training flight and took the life of a decorated instructor pilot.
The AH-64 Apache helicopter crashed at Fort Novosel, during a routine training flight, according to a statement from the US Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Novosel.
The flight instructor was killed in the crash, while the US Army student pilot aboard was taken to a hospital for further evaluation of injuries sustained.
Dale County Coroner John Cawley identified the deceased instructor as 46-year-old Daniel Munger, a contractor and retired Army member.
Military officials have not provided details about what led to the crash. The incident is being investigated to determine the cause.
“Our primary concern is the welfare and health of the student pilot and care and concern for the family of the deceased,” stated Maj. Gen. Clair A. Gill, commanding general of the US Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Novosel.
The crash has prompted questions about safety during training flights. Officials are reviewing protocols to prevent future accidents.
According to Alabama Daily News, the crash marks a significant loss for the Fort Novosel community, and support is being extended to those affected.
Fort Novosel, formerly known as Fort Rucker, recently changed its name. The name change is part of a broader effort to remove Confederate names from military bases. The base is an essential training site for Army aviation.
First flown in 1975, the AH-64 Apache was developed as a replacement for the AH-1 Cobra gunship and has remained the world’s premier attack helicopter through a number of upgrades over the decades.
While it first saw combat during Operation Just Cause in 1989, the AH-64’s true debut was in Operation Desert Storm, when Apaches of the 101st Airborne Division —led by then-Lieutenant Colonel Richard Cody— kicked off the 1991 conflict by knocking out Iraqi radar sites with the coalition’s opening shots.
Since it was first fielded, the Apache has long been a symbol of American dominance on the battlefield, and is an iconic airframe that is expected to serve into the 2060s.
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