FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (WDCW) – A Virginia pilot and a rescue dog he was transporting were killed after a plane he was flying crashed in New York on Sunday, authorities said.
Two other dogs, however, were later found to have survived the crash, which happened in the snowy woods of the Catskill Mountains, authorities said.
According to the Greene County Sheriff's Office, the pilot, identified as 49-year-old Seuk Kim, from Springfield, was flying a Cessna T210L plane from Maryland to Albany just after 6 p.m. when it crashed.
Authorities said the plane went down in a remote location in the town of Windham, about 35 miles southwest of Albany. The flight was carrying three dogs and was associated with a not-for-profit group that transports rescue animals with help from volunteer pilots, Greene County Sheriff Peter Kusminsky said.
Deputies said that responders found Kim dead at the scene along with one of the dogs. Another dog, a Labrador-mix puppy, was found alive with two broken legs, and the third dog had minor injuries.
The dog with the broken legs, named Whiskey, was taken to a veterinary hospital in Connecticut, according to the nonprofit Kim was delivering the dogs to, the Animal Shelter of Schoharie County. The other dog found safe was an 18-month-old Yorkie terrier mix named Pluto.
Tributes to Kim poured into an online memorial Monday, with fellow dog rescuers thanking him for his flights, and for coordinating pilots across the country.
“Over the years, Seuk helped to save the lives of hundreds of animals who would have otherwise been euthanized due to overcrowding at animal shelters,” Maggie Pryor, director of the Animal Shelter of Schoharie County, said in a statement.
A statement from Kim's family said he was originally from South Korea and “came to this country with little but a dream, and through hard work and perseverance, he built a life of meaning and generosity.”
“He was a kind, selfless individual who always went out of his way to help others, no matter the circumstances,” the statement said. “His legacy will live on in the countless lives he touched, both human and animal,” it added.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were investigating the crash.
Visibility was poor on Sunday, and Kim sought permission to change his altitude due to turbulence before the crash, Kusminsky said.
The plane crashed in woods a couple of miles from the nearest road. Rescuers located the wreckage before midnight in woods covered by about a foot of snow, according to the sheriff.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
