No early cause in fatal crash
Shock after Capital Region pilots killed
ALBANY — It could take months to determine the cause of a helicopter crash near Rio Grande City, Texas, last week that claimed the lives of two New York Army National Guard pilots from the Capital Region and also a U.S. Border Patrol agent.
An aircraft crew chief who was badly injured in the crash of the UH-72 Lakota light utility helicopter on Friday afternoon remains hospitalized and has not been identified.
The Capital Region pilots who were killed are Casey Frankoski, 28, of Rensselaer, and John M. Grassia III, a 30-year-old state trooper from Schenectady who had been with the State Police since 2022. Grassia had worked for most of his short law enforcement career in Troop K in the Hudson Valley before being reassigned recently to Troop G.
The soldiers were assigned to a regiment that has been operating as part of Joint Task Force North, a military unit which supports U.S. Customs and Border Protection operations on the southwest border.
The detachment specializes in flying missions in support of civilian agencies and is based at an Army Aviation Flight Facility at Albany International Airport in Latham.
Twenty-one soldiers from the unit deployed to Texas in October to support the federal military mission, according to officials with the state Division of Military and Naval Affairs. Their unit is operating in federal duty status and is not part of the Texas National Guard’s Operation Lone Star.
“It could take months before we get the answers on what actually happened,” said Maj. Jean Marie Kratzer, a spokeswoman for the Division of Military and Naval Affairs.
Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a statement
on Sunday saying she was “deeply saddened” by the deaths of the two New York National Guard members.
“There is no greater calling than service to and defense of your country,” Hochul said. “I join the members of our National Guard and State Police, and the entire state of New York, in mourning this tragic loss. Our deepest sympathies are with the families and friends of those killed, and I remain incredibly grateful for the many service men and women who put themselves at risk every day to ensure the security of our state and our nation.”
New York Army National Guard officials said their state-based military component — which responds to state emergencies as needed and can also be deployed for federal missions — has been flying the UH-72 Lakota helicopter since 2012. They have been deploying UH-72 pilots and support personnel to the southwest border in support of the Border Patrol since 2014.
Official said the aircraft that crashed was not one of the two UH-72S operated by the New York Army National Guard. It was assigned to the District of Columbia Army National Guard.
Grassia, a graduate of Schalmont High School in Schenectady, enlisted in the New York Army National Guard in 2013 as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter maintenance specialist. He was appointed as a warrant officer in 2019 and trained as a UH-60 and UH-72 pilot. He was promoted to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 2 in 2020.
He had deployed to Kuwait for a year beginning in September 2013. He was also on state active duty from 2020 to 2022 as part of the New York National Guard’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He joined the State Police in April 2022 and graduated from the academy that October.
His awards include the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the Basic Aviator Badge, and the Basic Aviation Badge.
His aunt, Valerie Bleser, wrote in a post on Facebook that the “family is devastated.”
“There is nothing I can say in words that will take away the deep grief his parents, my sister Judi Grassia and my brotherin-law, John are experiencing,” she wrote. “As well as his sisters, Gina Grassia Mcdermott and Krista Grassia Rotondi. … I can’t imagine how they will process this loss. He loved his family. He loved his German shepherd, Arlo. He loved this country. He had dreams, aspirations and a life map to be the most successful man he could be. At thirty years of age, this has all come to an end.”
The New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association, the union representing state troopers, said Grassia “was dedicated to serving and protecting not only the citizens of New York state but also the citizens of the entire United States, (and he) will be remembered for his ultimate sacrifice.”
Frankoski joined the New York Army National Guard in 2016 and Grassia has served in the New York Army National Guard since 2012.
“We are all shocked and devastated by the loss of Chief Warrant Officer 2 Grassia, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Frankoski, while serving along the U.S. border in Texas,” said Maj. General Ray Shields, the adjutant general of New York.
“We are praying for the quick recovery of the crew chief who was injured in the crash. Our deepest condolences also go out to the family and friends of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent who was also killed.”
Frankoski, the daughter of a former Rensselaer city police chief, is a graduate of Columbia High School and Schenectady County Community College, where she received an associate degree in social science. She was appointed a warrant officer in 2019 and trained to become a UH-60 Black Hawk and UH-72 Lakota helicopter pilot. She was promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer 2 in 2021.
Frankoski also deployed to Kuwait, from November 2018 to September 2019, as a mission planner in a unit that flies the Army’s C-12 transport aircraft, officials said.
Her military awards include the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the Basic Aviator Badge, and the Basic Aviation Badge.
Rensselaer Mayor Michael Stammel issued a statement over the weekend saying the community “is deeply saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Casey Frankoski.”
Her brother Jesse Frankoski is a Rensselaer police officer.
“A proud native of Rensselaer and distinguished graduate of Columbia High School, Casey was not only an excellent student but also excelled in sports and community service before joining the New York National Guard,” Stammel said. “Casey comes from a family deeply rooted in public service, and her legacy as an American hero resonates throughout our community.”
The Lakota helicopter that crashed is “configured to conduct utility helicopter missions and execute tasks in non-combat, non-hostile environments, usually in support of local and state government and law enforcement,” according to the state Division of Military and Naval Affairs.
The twin-engine, single-main-rotor helicopter has seating for two pilots and up to six passengers, officials said.
President Joe Biden released a statement Saturday saying: “These brave Americans dedicated their lives to protecting our nation. They signed up knowing the risks and believing in the mission of serving their fellow Americans by keeping our nation safe. Our gratitude is profound, and their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
The site of the crash is in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley. The border region is heavily patrolled by both state and federal authorities, including routine aerial surveillance.