Posted on Jul 2, 2021
Military: Human error caused deadly Mendon chopper crash
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https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2021/07/01/human-error-caused-deadly-mendon-ny-national-guard-helicopter-crash-officals-say/ [login to see] /
New York Army National Guard officials say human error caused the military helicopter crash that killed three soldiers in Mendon earlier this year.
Col. Richard Goldenberg, public affairs officer for the New York National Guard, said that a "procedural error" while rehearsing an emergency training maneuver caused the fatal Jan. 20 crash. Specifically, he said, actions taken by the crew during training "put the aircraft in a position where it became unrecoverable." It was, he said, an in-flight emergency related to the controls of the aircraft itself.
The New York Army National Guard UH-60 medical evacuation helicopter — also known as a Black Hawk — crashed in a nose-down position in a field near West Bloomfield Road during the routine training mission.
Killed were all three soldiers on board, chief warrant officers Steven Skoda and Daniel Prial, both of Rochester, and Christian Koch of Honeoye Falls.
As a result of the investigation, Goldenberg said, the U.S. Army has modified its training procedure and has restricted practicing that specific emergency maneuver to flight simulators only.
New York Army National Guard officials say human error caused the military helicopter crash that killed three soldiers in Mendon earlier this year.
Col. Richard Goldenberg, public affairs officer for the New York National Guard, said that a "procedural error" while rehearsing an emergency training maneuver caused the fatal Jan. 20 crash. Specifically, he said, actions taken by the crew during training "put the aircraft in a position where it became unrecoverable." It was, he said, an in-flight emergency related to the controls of the aircraft itself.
The New York Army National Guard UH-60 medical evacuation helicopter — also known as a Black Hawk — crashed in a nose-down position in a field near West Bloomfield Road during the routine training mission.
Killed were all three soldiers on board, chief warrant officers Steven Skoda and Daniel Prial, both of Rochester, and Christian Koch of Honeoye Falls.
As a result of the investigation, Goldenberg said, the U.S. Army has modified its training procedure and has restricted practicing that specific emergency maneuver to flight simulators only.
Military: Human error caused deadly Mendon chopper crash
Posted from democratandchronicle.com
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
"Throughout a months-long investigation, Army investigators evaluated the aircraft itself, reviewed its maintenance records, training flight preparations and standards, the aircraft flight recorder and all the details of the Army Readiness Center's research to determine the cause of the crash, Goldenberg said.
The helicopter was based at the Army Aviation Support Facility at the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport. This is where Skoda, Prial and Koch all worked full-time, conducting aircraft maintenance, training and flight operations.
Over the last month, Army National Guard officials notified the pilots' families of the findings.
"Military aviation is inherently risky due to the complex flying environments that our pilots and crews have to prepare for," Goldenberg said, adding that Skoda, Koch and Prial together had more than 50 years of flight experience. "It can also be an unforgiving environment, with life and death decisions and actions, no matter the circumstance, whether mechanical, weather or crew related."
"Throughout a months-long investigation, Army investigators evaluated the aircraft itself, reviewed its maintenance records, training flight preparations and standards, the aircraft flight recorder and all the details of the Army Readiness Center's research to determine the cause of the crash, Goldenberg said.
The helicopter was based at the Army Aviation Support Facility at the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport. This is where Skoda, Prial and Koch all worked full-time, conducting aircraft maintenance, training and flight operations.
Over the last month, Army National Guard officials notified the pilots' families of the findings.
"Military aviation is inherently risky due to the complex flying environments that our pilots and crews have to prepare for," Goldenberg said, adding that Skoda, Koch and Prial together had more than 50 years of flight experience. "It can also be an unforgiving environment, with life and death decisions and actions, no matter the circumstance, whether mechanical, weather or crew related."
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