Police identify pilot killed in helicopter crash

State police say Arthur Charych, 73, of Setauket, crashed near Storm King Mountain.

News 12 Staff

Oct 11, 2021, 9:59 AM

Updated 1,158 days ago

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State police have released the identity of the pilot who was killed in a helicopter crash Sunday in Orange County.
They say Arthur Charych, 73, of Setauket, crashed near Storm King Mountain around 2:30 p.m. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. There were no passengers onboard.
Officials say he was operating was a 2007 Robinson R44 Rotocraft. The helicopter left Glen Falls for MacArthur Airport on Long Island, and he was flying over the mountains at Storm King State Park when the crash occurred.
People who were hiking nearby say they could hear the crash.
“It was loud, it was echoing throughout the whole valley, it was honestly, extremely crazy," says Gavin Amacher, of Wappingers Falls.
The NTSB confirmed that the helicopter was not approved by the FAA to fly through poor visibility. Whether the conditions could have been a factor in the crash is under investigation.