Two soldiers were killed when their helicopter crashed during a training mission at Fort Campbell, Ky., officials at the Army post said April 7.
On April 8, Fort Campbell officials identified the victims as 37-year-old Chief Warrant Officer Ryan Connolly and 28-year-old Warrant Officer James Casadona. Connolly was an instructor pilot and Casadona was a pilot in the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).
Connolly joined the Army in 2001 and Casadona joined in 2012.
The AH-64E Apache helicopter crashed at about 9:50 p.m., April 6 in a training area at the sprawling Army post that straddles the Kentucky-Tennessee line, Fort Campbell officials said.
“This is a day of sadness for Fort Campbell and the 101st Airborne,” said Brig. Gen. Todd Royar, acting senior commander of the 101st Airborne Division and Fort Campbell. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families during this difficult time.”
They were the only people aboard the helicopter, post officials said.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
This was the fifth military aircraft mishap last week.
On April 3, a Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter crashed in Southern California resulting in four fatalities.
The crash occurred at approximately 2:35 p.m., CST, near El Centro. The helicopter and crew were assigned to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. At the time of the crash, the helicopter was conducting squadron training of aircraft landings in unimproved zones, and was flying out of Twentynine Palms, Calif.
Also April 3, a Marine AV-8B Harrier jet crashed on takeoff from an airfield in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa. The pilot ejected and is being treated for his injuries.
The Harrier was assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 162 and embarked upon the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima.
Also in Djibouti on April 4, another CH-53 “sustained minor structural damage” during an incident while landing in the vicinity of Arta Beach.
On April 4, a U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds pilot was killed when his F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed at the Nevada Test and Training Range at approximately 10:30 a.m.