Person From Hudson Valley Killed in Military Helicopter Crash
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Three members of the National Guard were killed around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday after a medical evacuation helicopter crashed in Mendon, about 20 miles from Rochester.
The New York Army National Guard confirmed three soldiers were killed during the training mission. The helicopter was based at the Army Aviation Support Facility at Rochester International Airport.
The names of the three soldiers haven t been released but Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus confirmed at least one person is from Orange County. At least one of the individuals is from Orange County, Neuhaus said during his daily COVID-19 update. I will let you know if there s something we can do to support the family, whether the individual will be buried at the Orange County Veterans Cemetery. In addition, I will probably order the county flags at half-staff.
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.
PICTURED: National Guard names three service members killed after their helicopter crashed during a training mission in New York
Chief Warrant Officer Steven Skoda, 54; Chief Warrant Officer Christian Koch, 39; and Chief Warrant Officer Daniel Prial, 30, died on Wednesday
They were killed after their UH-60 Black Hawk medical evacuation helicopter crashed into a field in upstate New York during a training exercise
There were no survivors in the crash
All three were experienced pilots with past deployments to Afghanistan and had won a litany of honors between them
Witnesses who called 911 reported hearing the sounds of an engine sputtering and said the aircraft was flying very low
Spectrum News / WXXI News
BREAKING FRIDAY MORNING: The National Guard has identified those killed in Wednesday night s crash of a military helicopter in Mendon, outside Rochester. They were Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Skoda, 54, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christian Koch, 39, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daniel Prial, 30.
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Skoda
Credit New York National Guard
Skoda was described as a 35-year veteran of the Army and the New York Army National Guard who was single and lived in Rochester. He served in the Active Army 1985-1987. He joined the National Guard 1987. He also earned numerous medals and citations. Skoda was a veteran of the Afghanistan War who deployed there in 2013 and 2019, said a Guard press release. He was an experienced helicopter pilot who served as a UH-60 senior instructor pilot and an instrument flight instructor and a UH-60 maintenance test pilot. He had almost 5,000 flying hours.
Warwick native Daniel Prial among the three National Guardsmen killed in upstate helicopter accident Daniel Prial via LinkedIn.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daniel Prial, 30, a Warwick native and U.S. Military Academy at West Point graduate, died Wednesday when the military helicopter he was in crashed near Mendon in upstate New York.
The New York Army National Guard UH-60 medical evacuation helicopter crashed while on a routine training mission just after 6:30 p.m. The helicopter, also known as a medical Black Hawk, was based at the Army Aviation Support Facility at the Greater Rochester International Airport. The unit trains to perform medical evacuations and the crew was conducting night vision goggle proficiency training in the area.