A New York Army National Guard UH-60 medical evacuation helicopter based at the Army Aviation Support Facility at Rochester International Airport crashed on January 20, 2021, in the Town of Mendon, while on a routine training mission, killing all three pilots who were on board.
The aircraft and crew was assigned to C Company of the 1st Battalion, 171st General Support Aviation Battalion. The unit trains to perform aeromedical evacuation, and the crew had been conducting night vision goggle proficiency training in the local training area.
The incident is under investigation. An Army Safety Investigation team will examine the potential human, material, and environmental factors that may have caused or led to the accident.
Killed in the crash were Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Skoda, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christian Koch, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daniel Prial.
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Skoda
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Skoda was a 35-year veteran of the Army and the New York Army National Guard. He served in the Active Army from 1985 to 1987. He joined the National Guard in 1987.
In 1992 he became a pilot and began flying UH-1 helicopters from the Army Aviation Support Facility in Rochester. He was 54 years old.
Skoda was a veteran of the Afghanistan War who deployed there in 2013 and 2019.
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 and mentored soldiers of all ranks throughout his career.
Skoda was rated to fly the UH-60 Black Hawk A and L models, the UH-1 “Huey,” the OH-58 Kiowa, the AH-1 Cobra, and the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.
He worked as a full-time National Guard technician at the Army Aviation Support Facility at the Rochester International Airport and served as a member of C Company of the 171st General Support Aviation Battalion.
A National Guard technician is a federal employee who must also serve in the National Guard as a condition of employment. Skoda had been a technician since 1999.
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.
He was single and was a resident of Rochester.
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christian Koch
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christian Koch was a 20-year veteran of the New York Army National Guard. He initially served as an infantryman in A Company of the 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry.
He became a helicopter pilot in 2006, flying from the Army Aviation Support Facility at Rochester International Airport. He was 39 years old.
Koch was a veteran of the war in Afghanistan and the war in Iraq. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2012-2013 and served in Iraq in 2008-2009. In 2004, he served as part of Operation Noble Eagle, the National Guard security mission in the United States after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
His hard work and drive lead him to become the Senior Instructor Pilot for the unit. His motivation and infectious personality made him a great soldier, leader, and father, according to unit members.
He was an experienced helicopter pilot who served as a senior instructor pilot and instrument flight instructor. In civilian life, he worked as a civilian pilot for the New York State Police.
Koch was rated to fly the UH-60 Black Hawk A and L models, as well as the CH-47 Chinook. He had 2,350 flying hours.
His awards include the Air Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Army Forces Service Medal, the Meritorious Unit Citation, the Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Army Reserve Overseas Training Ribbon, the Army Parachutist Badge, the Senior Army Aviator Badge, the Air Assault Badge, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
He held a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics from SUNY Brockport. The college released the following statement on Twitter, “Our thoughts are with the family of Chief Warrant Officer Christian Koch ’10 as well as the loved ones of the other members of the @NationalGuardNY who were killed in a helicopter crash Wed. night. We are proud of, and grateful for, his service to our country.”
Koch was a resident of Honeoye Falls and is married to Teressa DaGama.
Chief Warrant Officer Two Daniel Prial
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 served as a medical evacuation platoon leader with the 82nd Airborne Division’s 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade.
He deployed to Afghanistan in 2014 and 2015 with the 82nd Airborne Division and served as an instructor pilot for students at Fort Rucker, Alabama, where the Army trains helicopter pilots.
Prial was 30 years old.
He attained the rank of captain before accepting an appointment as a warrant officer in the New York Army National Guard so he could continue to fly. He was working as a federal technician at the Army Aviation Support Facility at the Rochester International Airport.
He was rated to fly the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and had 670 flying hours.
His awards include the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the NATO Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Afghan Campaign Medal, and the Army Aviator Badge.
Prial was extremely humble and family-centric. He had an ability to fit in quickly and make an immediate impact on new groups, according to soldiers in his unit.
He was single and lived in Rochester.
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