Alabama

Helicopter crash at Alabama military base leaves flight instructor dead, student injured

The AH-64 Apache is a two-crewmember aircraft

AH-64 Apache
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A helicopter crash at a military base in Alabama on Wednesday afternoon killed one person and injured another, military officials said.

An AH-64 Apache helicopter crashed during routine flight training on Fort Novosel Army base, about 94 miles (151 kilometers) south of Montgomery, according to a statement from the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Novosel.

The crash killed the flight instructor, while a US. Army student pilot was airlifted to a hospital for additional evaluation, according to the statement.

Dale County Coroner John Cawley identified the deceased instructor pilot as Daniel Munger, 46, who was a contractor and retired from the Army.

Military authorities did not immediately provide any information about the circumstances of the crash. The statement said the accident is under investigation.

โ€œOur primary concern is the welfare and health of the student pilot and care and concern for the family of the deceased,โ€ Maj. Gen. Clair A. Gill, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Novosel commanding general, said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press.

The AH-64 Apache is a two-crewmember aircraft.

Fort Novosel was previously known as Fort Rucker. It is the Armyโ€™s primary training facility for helicopter pilots.

Copyright The Associated Press
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