National Guard Flight Facility Commemorates Anniversary of 1999 Crash that Claimed Two Lives

Media Advisory

Ronkonkoma, NY (11/25/2019) — Members of the New York Army National Guard aviation community commemorate the loss of two aircrew members in a crash of a National Guard UH-1H Huey helicopter 20 years ago.

WHO: Soldiers, civilian employees of the New York Army National Guard Aviation Support Facility, joined by retirees, friends and family of Chief Warrant Officer William Zimmerman and Staff Sgt. Edward Roberts, two aircrew members who died in a training flight crash

WHAT: Wreath laying and remembrance service hosted by Capt. Charles Ackley, facility commander, commemorating the loss of two Army National Guard aviation crewmembers in 1999

WHERE: NY Army National Guard Aviation Support Facility, 201 Schaefer Drive, Ronkonkoma, NY

WHEN: 1 p.m. this afternoon, Monday, November 25

Media opportunity: Imagery and interviews with current and former members of the flight facility for the commemoration of the fatal training accident in 1999 that took the lives of two Soldiers. For access to this event, media must contact Chief Warrant Officer 5 Pete Haack, cell 631.793.5082

Background

Two New York Army National Guard aviation Soldiers were killed and another two crewmembers injured when an Army Guard helicopter crashed at Long Island MacArthur International Airport November 24, 1999.

The incident occurred during a training flight at Macarthur Airport while attempting to land in deteriorating weather.

Killed were Staff Sgt. Edward Roberts, 40, of Mineola and Chief Warrant Officer William Zimmerman, 56, of Northport, N.Y.