MENDON, New York (WABC) The U.S. Army has identified the three National Guard members who were killed in a helicopter crash during a training exercise after the remains of the troops were recovered from the rural upstate New York crash site, including one who was a native of Orange County.
The UH-60 Black Hawk medical evacuation helicopter crashed in a farmer s field in rural Mendon, south of Rochester, around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. There were no survivors.
The aircraft and crew was assigned to C Company of the 1st Battalion, 171st General Support Aviation Battalion. The unit trains to perform aeromedical evacuation, and the crew had been conducting night vision goggle proficiency training in the local training area.
Provided photo
The NY National Guard has released the names of the soldiers killed in Wednesday’s crash of a Blackhawk UH-60 medical evacuation helicopter near Rochester.
The crash happened early Wednesday evening, and at the time, people living in the area called 911 about reports of a low flying aircraft that sounded like it was having engine problems. The helicopter crashed into an open field in Mendon.
Officials with the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs say that an Army Safety Investigation team arrived Thursday from the Army Safety Center at Fort Rucker, Alabama to begin analysis of the accident. Officials say the team will investigate the potential human, materiel and environmental factors that may have been involved in the accident.
2021/01/22 22:50 MENDON, N.Y. (AP) The three National Guard members killed when a helicopter crashed in an upstate New York field this week were experienced pilots with past deployments to Afghanistan, officials said Friday. Killed in the crash were Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Skoda, 54, of Rochester, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christian Koch, 39, of Honeoye Falls, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daniel Prial, 30 of Rochester, according to the National Guard. The UH-60 Black Hawk medical evacuation helicopter crashed in a farmer’s field near Mendon, south of Rochester, around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. There were no survivors. Witnesses who called 911 reported hearing an engine sputtering and said the helicopter was flying very low.
National Guard identifies 3 servicemen killed in helicopter crash
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Skoda
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christian Koch
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daniel Prial
(WBNG) The National Guard has released the names of the three service members that were killed in a helicopter crash Wednesday night just outside of Rochester, N.Y. in the town of Mendon.
They are Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Skoda, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christian Koch, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daniel Prial.
Their UH-60 helicopter crashed during a routine training missing.
Here is some information about the servicemen that were killed, provided by the National Guard.
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Skoda was a 35-year veteran of the army and the New York Army National Guard. He was in the army from 1985 to 87 and joined the National Guard in 1987.
3 dead in military helicopter crash were experienced pilots
January 22, 2021 GMT
MENDON, N.Y. (AP) The three National Guard members killed when a helicopter crashed in an upstate New York field this week were experienced pilots with past deployments to Afghanistan, officials said Friday.
Killed in the crash were Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Skoda, 54, of Rochester, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christian Koch, 39, of Honeoye Falls, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daniel Prial, 30 of Rochester, according to the National Guard.
The UH-60 Black Hawk medical evacuation helicopter crashed in a farmer’s field near Mendon, south of Rochester, around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. There were no survivors.