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The three National Guard members killed in a helicopter crash in a field in upstate New York this week were experienced pilots with previous deployments to Afghanistan, officials said on Friday.
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, were killed in the accident.
The UH-60 Black Hawk medevac helicopter crashed in a farmer’s field near Mendon, south of Rochester, around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. There were no survivors.
Photos in this combo, released by the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs, show the three National Guard members killed in a helicopter crash in Mendon, New York on Wednesday, 20 January 2021. They are, from left to right: Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Skoda, 54, of Rochester, NY; Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christian Koch, 39, of Honeoye Falls, New York; and Chief Warrant Officer Two Daniel Prial, 30, of Rochester, NY. (New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs via AP)
(New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs via AP)
The crew had conducted training on mastering night vision goggles in the local training area, the National Guard said. The helicopter was based at the Army Aviation Support Facility at Rochester International Airport.
Witnesses who called 911 said they heard an engine sizzle and said the helicopter was flying very low.
An Army security investigation team arrived at the Fort Rucker, Alabama site Thursday.
Skoda served in the Army from 1985 to 1987 and joined the National Guard in 1987. He was a war veteran from Afghanistan and deployed there in 2013 and 2019.
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He was a senior UH-60 instructor pilot and maintenance test pilot with nearly 5,000 flight hours and worked full time as a National Guard technician.
Koch, a 20-year-old Guardian, served in the Afghanistan War and the Iraq War. He was also a civilian pilot for the New York State Police, who said he was recently honored by the Red Cross for his role in rescuing an 11-year-old boy who fell 100 feet into a ravine in June.
Koch is survived by his wife and four children, state police said.
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Prial served in the military after earning a commission at the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2012.
He served as a medical evacuation platoon leader with the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2014 and 2015. He became a captain before accepting an appointment as a warrant officer in guard so he can continue flying, officials said.
Prial worked at the Aviation Support Facility as a Federal Technician.
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The remains of the three were recovered from the crash site on Thursday and escorted by processions of first responders to the county medical examiner’s office. Residents, some waving flags, came out of their homes and waved as vehicles passed.
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