The Apache crash rate has climbed to about 6.24 major accidents per 100,000 flight hours in fiscal 2026, according to a CNN analysis of U.S. Army safety data.
The Army has recorded five Class A Apache flight mishaps this fiscal year. A deadly crash near Fort Hood, Texas, in August killed two soldiers and prompted a temporary pause in routine training flights.
The Army ended that training pause on August 19. Units deployed in the Middle East had remained exempt from the restriction.
Class A mishaps include accidents involving a death, permanent disability, loss of an aircraft or at least $2.5 million in damage.
The current rate approaches the 7.02 major crashes per 100,000 flight hours recorded in fiscal 2024. That year, the Army reported nine major Apache crashes.
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Internal Army safety messages obtained by CNN identified problems with transmissions used in the AH-64E Apache. The failures can affect the tail rotor, electrical power and hydraulic systems, according to the documents.
An April safety notice identified 70 potentially faulty transmissions and ordered that affected aircraft be grounded for repairs. A July follow-up added 10 more transmissions, noting that investigators had not determined the root cause.
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Together, the notices affected about one-tenth of the Army’s Apache fleet. Boeing has sent teams to Army maintenance depots to help inspect and repair the components.
Army spokesperson Maj. Montrell Russell declined to say how many recent crashes involved transmission failures.
He also cautioned that references to the transmission notices in safety reviews did not establish the cause of individual accidents. Boeing told CNN it was supporting the Army’s investigation into the affected aircraft.
