Army helicopter crashes in wooded area of Pike County

Army helicopter crashes in wooded area of Pike County

An Army helicopter crashed Friday afternoon in a wooded area of Pike County, authorities said.

Officials at Fort Novosel, formerly known as Fort Rucker, in Dale County, said the UH-72 Lakota helicopter crashed around 2:25 p.m. near Banks, Alabama.

The pilot and a crew member were conducting flight training at the time of the crash, the base said.

“First responders and officials from the unit arrived at the location shortly after the incident,” the base said. “The aircrew were transported for medical treatment, and no fatalities were reported. While the aircraft did sustain damage, there are no reports of damage to people or property on the ground.”

The helicopter crashed near Pike County Road 4405 and Alabama Highway 130, Sgt. Sean Smith with the Pike County Sheriff’s Office told WDHN.

The sheriff’s office could not be reached by AL.com.