Helicopter Instructor Dead, Army Student Pilot Hurt in Alabama Base Crash

A helicopter instructor is dead and a U.S. Army student pilot suffered minor injuries after their aircraft crashed on an Alabama base Wednesday afternoon, officials said.

Officials at Fort Novosel, previously known as Fort Rucker, were notified around 1:40 p.m. Wednesday of a “mishap of an AH-64 Apache helicopter conducting routine flight training on Fort Novosel,” the base said in a statement.

The instructor pilot — a contractor — was pronounced dead at the scene.

The student pilot sustained minor injuries and was airlifted via Army medical helicopter for medical evaluation, the base said.

“Our primary concern is the welfare and health of the student pilot and care and concern for the family of the deceased,” said Maj. Gen. Clair A. Gill, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Novosel commanding general, in a statement.

The crash remained under investigation Wednesday afternoon.

The crash Wednesday in Dale County at Ft. Novosel, previously known as Ft. Rucker, reportedly occurred near Lake Tholocco, WSFA reported.

The Dale County coroner could not immediately be reached to confirm the report.

A Ft. Novosel spokesman did not immediately have a comment but said the base would be issuing a statement with details on the crash.

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