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.
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 NY Guardsmen killed in helicopter crash were experienced pilots
By Staff and Wire Reports
Published article
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Skoda, 54, of Rochester, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daniel Prial, 30 of Rochester, and Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christian Koch, 39, of Honeoye Falls. (NY National Guard)
NEW YORK - 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.
National Guard identifies soldiers killed in helicopter crash A military helicopter crashed in Mendon, NY Wednesday evening, killing three soldiers (Source: Emily Fasel) By 7 News Staff | January 22, 2021 at 10:37 AM EST - Updated January 22 at 11:44 AM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WWNY) - The New York National Guard has released the names of its three members who died in a helicopter crash near Rochester earlier this week.
A National Guard UH-60 medical evacuation helicopter based at the Army Aviation Support Facility at Rochester International Airport crashed Wednesday evening in the town of Mendon while on a routine training mission.
Killed were 54-year-old Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Skoda of Rochester, 39-year-old Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christian Koch of Honeoye Falls near Rochester, and 30-year-old Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daniel Prial, also of Rochester.
A family s holiday party in Milmont Park, Delaware County, turned out to be its own superspreader event.
Skoda s awards included the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the NATO Medal, the Meritorious Unit Citation, the Army Reserve Overseas Training Ribbon, the Department of State Superior Honor Award, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Master Army Aviator Badge, the Air Assault Badge, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Coast Guard Presidential Unit Citation.
He was a friend and mentor to all the Soldiers in his unit, supporting the training and career progressions of hundreds of aircrews throughout his career, according to Soldiers at the flight facility.