Sat, Aug 10, 2024
AH-64 Apache Went Down During Training Flight
An instructor pilot (IP) was fatally injured and a student pilot had to be airlifted to a hospital for injuries sustained in the crash of an AH-64 Apache helicopter on Fort Novosel Army base in Alabama.
Military authorities on base said the accident is being investigated but did not immediately provide any info on the circumstances surrounding the accident. However, Dale County Coroner John Cawley did provide the identity of the IP as 46-year-old Daniel Munger, who was retired from the Army and under contract to provide helicopter instruction. No information on the identity or condition of the student pilot has yet been released.
Maj. Gen. Clair A. Gill, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Novosel commanding general said in a statement, “Our primary concern is the welfare and health of the student pilot and care and concern for the family of the deceased.”
Maj. Gen. Walter Rugen, Director of Army Aviation expressed in April the concern within the command on the highest accident rate in a over decade.
He said, “We’ve seen a troubling trend with our accident rates. Certainly, any loss of life is 100% unacceptable and obviously when we have [an] accident where we lose the aircraft or severely damage the aircraft, we consider that unacceptable, too.”
The Army Aviation command defines a Class A mishap as one that results in loss of life or the loss of equipment of more than $2.5 million. The rate is expressed per 100,000 flight hours. In April, the rate was 3.22, more than double the highest rate in any fiscal year since before 2014.
Fort Novosel is the primary training center for Army helicopter pilots and is in southeastern Alabama about 90 miles south of Montgomery. It was formerly known as Fort Rucker and renamed after Army Aviator and Medal of Honor recipient Chief Warrant Officer Michael J. Novosel.
More News
Option Approach An approach requested and conducted by a pilot which will result in either a touch-and-go, missed approach, low approach, stop-and-go, or full stop landing. Pilots >[...]
"Emirates is already the world's largest Boeing 777 operator, and we are expanding our commitment to the program today with additional orders for 65 Boeing 777-9s. This is a long-t>[...]
(Pilot) Reported That There Was A Sudden And Violent Vibration Throughout The Airplane That Lasted Several Seconds Analysis: The pilot was returning to his home airport at an altit>[...]
“This recognition was evident during the TBMOPA Annual Convention, where owners and operators clearly expressed their satisfaction with our focus on customer service, and enc>[...]
Overhead Maneuver A series of predetermined maneuvers prescribed for aircraft (often in formation) for entry into the visual flight rules (VFR) traffic pattern and to proceed to a >[...]
ANN's Daily Aero-Term (11.19.25): Option Approach
See All