Pilot killed after plane crashed near Piseco Airport
A plane crashed and killed its pilot on July 12, 2026, about 150 yards from the runway at Piseco Airport in Hamilton County, New York. The single-engine Cessna had departed Hudson Valley Regional Airport in Dutchess County. Kenneth Andreu, 74, of Valhalla, was the sole occupant. FAA and NTSB are investigating.
Key Takeaways
- Kenneth Andreu, 74, died when his Cessna crashed near Piseco Airport on July 12, 2026.
- The plane left Hudson Valley Regional Airport, formerly Dutchess County Airport, in Poughkeepsie.
- Hamilton County officials reported the crash at 7:09 p.m. in the Town of Arietta.
- No other injuries were reported; the 1966 Cessna 182J was destroyed in a wooded area.
- Federal investigators have taken over the scene while the cause remains unknown.
What happened when the plane crashed near Piseco Airport?
Authorities say a fixed-wing aircraft crashed on the evening of July 12 while traveling from the Hudson Valley to the southern Adirondacks. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office received a report at 7:09 p.m. and responded to Piseco Airport in the Town of Arietta, according to WKTV.
The Poughkeepsie Journal reported that the plane crashed roughly 150 yards from the airport runway. The aircraft came down in a wooded area and was destroyed. No other injuries were reported because the pilot was the only person aboard.
Who was the pilot killed after leaving Dutchess County Airport?
Officials identified the pilot as 74-year-old Kenneth Andreu of Valhalla. The Poughkeepsie Journal listed his address as 3 Beech St. in Valhalla. WKTV initially withheld the victim's name pending family notification and the conclusion of the investigation.
Andreu was operating a single-engine Cessna 182J Skyline manufactured in 1966, according to the Poughkeepsie Journal and the Aviation Safety Network. He died in the crash. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office said no other occupants were on board.
Which agencies responded to the fatal crash?
Multiple emergency crews converged on the remote airfield after the plane crashed. WKTV reported that New York State Forest Rangers, the Piseco Fire Department, Lake Pleasant Fire Department, Speculator Fire Department, and ambulance crews joined the sheriff's office at the scene.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were on site and took charge of the investigation, the Poughkeepsie Journal reported. North Country Public Radio also covered the fatal crash near Piseco Airport in the southern Adirondacks. For more regional incident coverage, see our Fintech & Crypto Alerts section.
What do investigators know about the cause?
At this time, the cause of the crash is unknown, according to the Poughkeepsie Journal. Both the FAA and NTSB are at the site of the crash and will be in charge of the investigation moving forward.
WKTV reported that federal investigators were sent to the scene after the July 12 crash. Officials have not released further details about what led the aircraft down short of the runway.