The 101st Airborne Division has identified the U.S. Army soldier who died from injuries sustained during a helicopter training accident at Kentucky's Fort Campbell earlier this week.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Dustin K. Wright, 40, was pronounced dead at the scene when the AH-64 Apache helicopter he was piloting crashed on Wednesday evening. No details about the cause of the accident were released, and it remains under investigation.
“The entire 101st Combat Aviation Brigade grieves the loss of CW2 Dustin Wright,” Col. Tyler Partridge, commander, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Div, said in a statement. “A former Infantryman, Dustin cherished every opportunity to be outside and support ground troops. He did so with strength and honor.
"We will forever cherish the memories of his service, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of all who knew him.”
One other pilot was involved in the accident and sustained minor injuries. He was evaluated at Blanchfield Army Community Hospital and was released the night of the incident, the division said.
In a post on social media on Friday, the 101st Airborne Division said the incident occurred as part of "preparation for the Army's 250th birthday" and the parade being held Saturday in Washington, D.C. But in a follow-up post, the division said the accident occurred during "a routine attack aviation training mission inside the Fort Campbell training area."
"The crew was not in direct support of Week of the Eagles or Army Birthday," the post read, referencing the annual event that honors the heritage of the 101st Airborne.
Wright, who joined the Army in 2010, arrived at Fort Campbell in May 2022. His awards and decorations include the Air Medal with “C” Device, the Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Army Aviator Badge, the Army Parachutist Badge, and the Army Pathfinder Badge, a division press release said.