Three National Guard soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash on Wednesday night in Mendon, New York, during a routine training flight from the Rochester airport.
The names of the three men who perished in the crash were released Friday morning; Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Skoda, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christian Koch, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daniel Prial.
According to a report from News10NBC investigative reporter Jennifer Lewke, neighbors around the crash believe the men took down the flight in an open field as “one last act of heroism,” intentionally missing the nearby areas packed with homes. Skoda, Koch, and Prial were the only people on the helicopter; no others were injured.
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Skoda, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christian Koch and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daniel Prial were killed in the helicopter crash in Mendon. Skoda and Prial lived in Rochester, Koch lived in Honeoye Falls. @news10nbc
— Jennifer Lewke (@WHEC_JLewke) January 22, 2021
“While no cause has been determined, a number of the neighbors around told Lewke, they believe it was a final act of heroism that these soldiers crashed where they did, because the area around the field is a populated area with a lot of homes and hills,” the News10NBC report outlined.
“It’s about the families, it’s about the soldiers, it’s about everyone involved in the organization,” a neighbor near the crash named Brendon, a Guard member himself, told Lewke. “I know they’ll come together. I know they’re tight there, and they’ll support each other. I know they’ll get through it I’m sure, but it’s not gonna be easy.”
The aircraft was confirmed as a medical Black Hawk, 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 local training area,” reported the Democrat & Chronicle.
“The unit includes about 80 soldiers, most of whom reside in the Rochester region, and is the air ambulance company that’s based out of Rochester,” the report added. “Typically, the airmen’s job is to retrieve and evacuate injured soldiers.”
Skoda, 54, was a 35-year veteran of the U.S. Army and the Army National Guard. He was described as a “a friend and mentor to all the soldiers in his unit, supporting the training and career progressions of hundreds of aircrews throughout his career,” Col. Richard Goldenberg, public affairs officer for the New York National Guard, said in a news release.
Chief Warrant Officer Steven Skoda was a 35-year veteran of the Army and the New York Army National Guard. Skoda was a veteran of the Afghanistan War who deployed there in 2013 and 2019. @news10nbc pic.twitter.com/UYHnElLaJI
— Jennifer Lewke (@WHEC_JLewke) January 22, 2021
Koch, 39, was a 20-year veteran of the National Guard and a pilot with the New York State Police aviation unit. “His hard work and drive lead him to becoming the senior instructor pilot for the unit,” Goldenberg said. “His motivation and infectious personality made him a great soldier, leader and father”
Koch is survived by his wife Teressa and four children. A GoFundMe account for Koch’s family may be accessed here.
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christian Koch was a 20-year veteran of the New York Army National Guard. Koch was a veteran of the war in Afghanistan and the war in Iraq. He worked as a civilian pilot for @nyspolice. He is a father and husband. @news10nbc pic.twitter.com/Oc08LGMbC0
— Jennifer Lewke (@WHEC_JLewke) January 22, 2021
Thirty-year-old Prial was a member of the National Guard for one year and served in the U.S. Army since 2012.
“He was a medical evacuation platoon leader with the 82nd Airborne Division’s 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade,” the D&C reported. “Prial deployed to Afghanistan in 2014 and 2015 and served as an instructor pilot for students at the Fort Rucker, Alabama, where the Army trains helicopter pilots. He had logged 670 flying hours.”
“Prial was extremely humble and family centric,” said Goldenberg. “He had an ability to fit in quickly and make an immediate impact on new groups.”
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daniel Prial had served in the Army since 2012 after earning a commission at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2014 and 2015 and served as an instructor pilot. @news10nbc pic.twitter.com/SyacP7kMuL
— Jennifer Lewke (@WHEC_JLewke) January 22, 2021