Brooklyn Woman Dies in Fall from Hunter Mountain Ski Lift

New York State Police responded to the Hunter Mountain Ski area Dec. 28 for a report of a skier injured in a fall from a ski lift.

Olga Filkin, 44, had been riding on the D-lift at Hunter Mountain Ski Resort, police said. She was by herself, with the safety bar engaged in the downward position.

The chair began to rock, one of her skis got caught on one of the lift support poles, and she fell about 25 feet at the base of Tower #1, according to the Albany Times Union.

She was treated at the scene by ski patrol and medical personnel but succumbed as a result of her injuries, police said.

The Brooklyn resident was on a weekend ski trip with a group that included her husband and daughter.

“She was a pretty good skier,” State Police Investigator Daniel Mitchell told the Albany Times Union. “It was just a freak accident.”

An autopsy was performed today at St Peter’s Hospital and the cause of death was determined to have been accidental and consistent with a fall, police said.

Hunter, which opened for the season Nov. 21, posted this note on its Facebook page:

We tell you with deep sadness: yesterday afternoon, a 44-year old guest at Hunter Mountain died after falling out of a chairlift. Ski Patrol was there within moments, to no avail.

For reasons of patient confidentiality, out of respect for the family and due to the fact that the investigation is ongoing, we can’t answer any questions about the incident here. We also request that folks don’t speculate. Doing so won’t help, and will just make people feel bad.

All of us are devastated by this. We send our deepest sympathy to her family and friends.