Upstate New York Plane Crash Claims Life of Dutchess Community College Aviation Instructor

A longtime faculty member at Dutchess Community College has died after a plane crash in the Adirondacks over the weekend.

Plane Crash Claims Life of Dutchess Community College Aviation Instructor

According to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, 74-year-old Kenneth Andreu, of Valhalla, NY, was piloting his single-engine Cessna from Poughkeepsie to Piseco Airport on Sunday evening when the crash happened.

Piseco Airport, Piseco NY

Officials said Andreu, who took off from the Hudson Valley Regional Airport in the Town of Wappinger, was attempting to land at Piseco Airport in Piseco, NY around 7 p.m. when the aircraft crashed approximately 150 yards off the airfield.

Sadly, Andreu was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials didn't say what may have caused the crash but did say that he was the only person on board. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are now investigating exactly what led to the deadly accident.

Longtime Instructor at Collège in Dutchess County, NY

Beyond being an experienced pilot, Andreu was also a familiar face to many aviation students in the Hudson Valley. According to News 12, he served as a faculty member in Dutchess Community College's Aviation Maintenance Technology program for more than five years, helping train the next generation of aviation mechanics.

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Following the tragic news, Dutchess Community College shared a heartfelt message with students and staff.

"It is with a heavy heart that I share some tragic news: Kenneth Andreu, a long-time faculty member within our Aviation Maintenance Technology program, has passed away," the college said in a statement.

Recognizing the impact his death will have on the DCC community, the college said counseling services were immediately made available at the Aviation Education Center for students, with additional support offered through the Counseling Center on the college's main campus in Poughkeepsie.

Faculty and staff were also reminded that confidential counseling is available through the school's Employee Assistance Program.