Roll of Honor
Incident
Lieutenant Tremain Hughes and Corporal Theopolis Gaines were killed when their state police airplane crashed in Madison County, New York. The pilot, Lieutenant Hughes, was following a road for a forced landing in foggy conditions when the plane struck an elm tree. The plane crashed and burst into flames. Lieutenant Hughes was trapped in the rear cockpit of the burning plane and Corporal Gaines was thrown from the plane and died instantly. Lieutenant Hughes had served with the New York State Police for 14 years and was Chief of the State Police Aviation Unit. He was the first New York State Police flying trooper and had been credited with saving the life of the warden and prison guards during the Auburn Prison Riot.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-5005E98A- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Lieutenant Hughes gave the New York State Police 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of New York. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Lieutenant Hughes.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Lieutenant Tremain M. Hughes is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,775 officers honored here.
In NY, 645 of 2,147 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 30 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At New York State Police, 94 of 171 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 55% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Tremain M. Hughes's cause is highlighted.
How Tremain M. Hughes Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Tremain M. Hughes is highlighted in Jan.
Others Who Wore This Badge
170 officers from New York State Police are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
