According to NBC News, an AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter of the US Marine Corps crashed on the evening of March 30, killing all two Marine Corps pilots on board.

A briefing issued by the U.S. Marine Corps on 31 March 2019 said that the crash occurred at about 8:45 p.m. near Yuma, Arizona, when the AH-1Z attack helicopter was participating in routine training, which was part of the Marine Corps Weapons and Tactics Training Course. The US Marine Corps is investigating the cause of the crash. The names of the two dead pilots have not yet been released.

It is reported that as an attack helicopter, AH-1Z mainly provides close air support, anti-armor, armed escort, armed/visual reconnaissance and firepower support coordination capabilities for the U.S. Marine Corps under day and night and severe weather conditions. At present, the U.S. Marine Corps is replacing the two-blade rotor AH-1W with AH-1Z. It uses a new four-blade composite rotor system, performance matching transmission system, four-blade tail rotor, upgraded landing gear and a fully integrated glass cockpit. There are 85% common components between AH-1Z and UH-1Y, which will significantly reduce life cycle costs and reduce the scale of logistical support needed to maintain AH-1Z combat forces in theatre, while increasing the maintainability and deployability of helicopters. In addition, AH-1Z is equipped with advanced integrated fire control system, which has the ability to support multiple weapon configurations. (Editor: LWC)