US Army orders aviation stand down amid deadly helicopter mishaps

TORONTO

US Army Chief of Staff James McConville ordered the grounding of all aviators Friday that are not involved in critical missions.

The order came after two recent helicopter crashes that killed 12 soldiers.

“The safety of our aviators is our top priority, and this stand down is an important step to make certain we are doing everything possible to prevent accidents and protect our personnel,” McConville said in a statement.

The order followed a mid-air collision Thursday involving two AH-64 Apache helicopters returning from a training mission near Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

Three soldiers were killed and another was hospitalized in the mishap.

That was after nine soldiers were killed last month during a routine training flight near Fort Campbell, Kentucky, when two HH-60 Blackhawks collided.

Both incidents are under investigation and there is no pattern between the two mishaps, said the statement.

Army pilots “will focus on safety and training protocols to ensure our pilots and crews have the knowledge, training and awareness to safely complete their assigned mission,” said McConville.

Active-duty units will complete the 24-hour stand down between May 1 and 5. The Army National Guard and Reserve will have until May 31 to coincide with their respective training schedules, said the statement.