Family and friends of David Alan Kish paid tribute to the Sikorsky Aircraft test pilot who lost his life persuing his passion. Nearly 500 people turned out for the funeral of Kish, one of four men killed while testing a hilicopter at Sikorsky Aircraft. Kish, an Oxford resident, had turned 39 just days before his death.
After a 21-gun salute rendered by uniformed Marines at Pine Hill Cemetery, a bugler played Taps for the test pilot and aviation safety officer. As the last notes died down, a deep rumble came from the mid-day sky. The rumble came from a pair of Sikorsky helicopters whooshing overhead side by side. As they approached, the choppers turned aside in diverging directions to make room for a cargo plane swooping between them.
The plane rocked gently from side to side as it flew away, dipping one wing and then the other, as if to wave goodbye to the well-liked Kish.
Mr. Kish is survived by his wife, Patricia and three daughters; Meghan, Sarah and Mara.
Please refer to the other three men killed in this horrible accident. They are: Yong H. Lee, Leonard R. Kuderma and Thomas L. Payne.
Thank you M. Blanco-Shore for sponsoring this page.
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09-May-2011
Sikorsky Remembers Those Lost in Stratford Flight Field Accident on May 9, 1996.
Sikorsky Fire Chief Tony Dynderski and many Sikorsky employees remember the day as if it were yesterday. Right before lunch, they heard a loud bang and soon after, saw the aircraft remains on the ground.
A test flight of the CH-53E aircraft was being conducted on the airfield that day.
The Missing Man formation was flown years ago by HMX-1 in honor of the lives lost in the 1996 CH-53E crash at Sikorsky's Stratford plant.
The victims were all Sikorsky employees. We remember their memories and their lives today.
David A. Kish was a pilot from Oxford, Conn., and had joined Sikorsky in 1989. He was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and a former Navy pilot.
Yong H. Lee of Stratford, was also a pilot. He joined Sikorsky in 1993 after service as a Marine and Navy helicopter pilot.
Leonard R. Kuderna of Hamden, was the helicopter crew chief, and had been Sikorsky employee since 1979.
Thomas L. Payne was an electronics flight systems technician from Milford, Conn., and had been an employee since 1967.
After a 21-gun salute rendered by uniformed Marines at Pine Hill Cemetery, a bugler played Taps for the test pilot and aviation safety officer. As the last notes died down, a deep rumble came from the mid-day sky. The rumble came from a pair of Sikorsky helicopters whooshing overhead side by side. As they approached, the choppers turned aside in diverging directions to make room for a cargo plane swooping between them.
The plane rocked gently from side to side as it flew away, dipping one wing and then the other, as if to wave goodbye to the well-liked Kish.
Mr. Kish is survived by his wife, Patricia and three daughters; Meghan, Sarah and Mara.
Please refer to the other three men killed in this horrible accident. They are: Yong H. Lee, Leonard R. Kuderma and Thomas L. Payne.
Thank you M. Blanco-Shore for sponsoring this page.
--------------------------------------------
09-May-2011
Sikorsky Remembers Those Lost in Stratford Flight Field Accident on May 9, 1996.
Sikorsky Fire Chief Tony Dynderski and many Sikorsky employees remember the day as if it were yesterday. Right before lunch, they heard a loud bang and soon after, saw the aircraft remains on the ground.
A test flight of the CH-53E aircraft was being conducted on the airfield that day.
The Missing Man formation was flown years ago by HMX-1 in honor of the lives lost in the 1996 CH-53E crash at Sikorsky's Stratford plant.
The victims were all Sikorsky employees. We remember their memories and their lives today.
David A. Kish was a pilot from Oxford, Conn., and had joined Sikorsky in 1989. He was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and a former Navy pilot.
Yong H. Lee of Stratford, was also a pilot. He joined Sikorsky in 1993 after service as a Marine and Navy helicopter pilot.
Leonard R. Kuderna of Hamden, was the helicopter crew chief, and had been Sikorsky employee since 1979.
Thomas L. Payne was an electronics flight systems technician from Milford, Conn., and had been an employee since 1967.
Family and friends of David Alan Kish paid tribute to the Sikorsky Aircraft test pilot who lost his life persuing his passion. Nearly 500 people turned out for the funeral of Kish, one of four men killed while testing a hilicopter at Sikorsky Aircraft. Kish, an Oxford resident, had turned 39 just days before his death.
After a 21-gun salute rendered by uniformed Marines at Pine Hill Cemetery, a bugler played Taps for the test pilot and aviation safety officer. As the last notes died down, a deep rumble came from the mid-day sky. The rumble came from a pair of Sikorsky helicopters whooshing overhead side by side. As they approached, the choppers turned aside in diverging directions to make room for a cargo plane swooping between them.
The plane rocked gently from side to side as it flew away, dipping one wing and then the other, as if to wave goodbye to the well-liked Kish.
Mr. Kish is survived by his wife, Patricia and three daughters; Meghan, Sarah and Mara.
Please refer to the other three men killed in this horrible accident. They are: Yong H. Lee, Leonard R. Kuderma and Thomas L. Payne.
Thank you M. Blanco-Shore for sponsoring this page.
--------------------------------------------
09-May-2011
Sikorsky Remembers Those Lost in Stratford Flight Field Accident on May 9, 1996.
Sikorsky Fire Chief Tony Dynderski and many Sikorsky employees remember the day as if it were yesterday. Right before lunch, they heard a loud bang and soon after, saw the aircraft remains on the ground.
A test flight of the CH-53E aircraft was being conducted on the airfield that day.
The Missing Man formation was flown years ago by HMX-1 in honor of the lives lost in the 1996 CH-53E crash at Sikorsky's Stratford plant.
The victims were all Sikorsky employees. We remember their memories and their lives today.
David A. Kish was a pilot from Oxford, Conn., and had joined Sikorsky in 1989. He was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and a former Navy pilot.
Yong H. Lee of Stratford, was also a pilot. He joined Sikorsky in 1993 after service as a Marine and Navy helicopter pilot.
Leonard R. Kuderna of Hamden, was the helicopter crew chief, and had been Sikorsky employee since 1979.
Thomas L. Payne was an electronics flight systems technician from Milford, Conn., and had been an employee since 1967.
After a 21-gun salute rendered by uniformed Marines at Pine Hill Cemetery, a bugler played Taps for the test pilot and aviation safety officer. As the last notes died down, a deep rumble came from the mid-day sky. The rumble came from a pair of Sikorsky helicopters whooshing overhead side by side. As they approached, the choppers turned aside in diverging directions to make room for a cargo plane swooping between them.
The plane rocked gently from side to side as it flew away, dipping one wing and then the other, as if to wave goodbye to the well-liked Kish.
Mr. Kish is survived by his wife, Patricia and three daughters; Meghan, Sarah and Mara.
Please refer to the other three men killed in this horrible accident. They are: Yong H. Lee, Leonard R. Kuderma and Thomas L. Payne.
Thank you M. Blanco-Shore for sponsoring this page.
--------------------------------------------
09-May-2011
Sikorsky Remembers Those Lost in Stratford Flight Field Accident on May 9, 1996.
Sikorsky Fire Chief Tony Dynderski and many Sikorsky employees remember the day as if it were yesterday. Right before lunch, they heard a loud bang and soon after, saw the aircraft remains on the ground.
A test flight of the CH-53E aircraft was being conducted on the airfield that day.
The Missing Man formation was flown years ago by HMX-1 in honor of the lives lost in the 1996 CH-53E crash at Sikorsky's Stratford plant.
The victims were all Sikorsky employees. We remember their memories and their lives today.
David A. Kish was a pilot from Oxford, Conn., and had joined Sikorsky in 1989. He was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and a former Navy pilot.
Yong H. Lee of Stratford, was also a pilot. He joined Sikorsky in 1993 after service as a Marine and Navy helicopter pilot.
Leonard R. Kuderna of Hamden, was the helicopter crew chief, and had been Sikorsky employee since 1979.
Thomas L. Payne was an electronics flight systems technician from Milford, Conn., and had been an employee since 1967.
