David Winoker, a Chappaqua area resident, died in a skydiving accident on Friday in Ulster County, according to published reports.
Winoker was one of two people who died. According to reports, the other was Alexander Chulsky, a 25-year-old instructor for the program, which was organized by Skydive the Ranch.
Winoker had a prominent role in New York City's commercial real estate landscape. He was president of Winoker Realty, his family name sake, according to media reports. His biography states that he had a personal role in leasing more than a million square feet of commercial space.
Winoker, 49, was in Ulster County for the 50th birthday of a friend, The Daily News reported.
The cause of the accident has been disputed. Media reports describe a witness account of a parachute malfunction. Joseph Richards, co-owner of Skydive the Ranch, disputes the account. He explained to Patch that the parachute correctly deployed but that then made an incorrect turn. He believes the reason for this was that Chulsky was incapacitated, although the area's medical examiner has not determined a cause of death yet.
"It was a bad day for all of us," Richards said, noting the deaths of the two impacting both sides.
The accident occured around the border of Gardiner and Modena, two Ulster County communities, according to Richards.
Winoker is survived by his wife, Jillian, and his children, Allyson, Jared and Hillary, according to his obituary.
Winoker and his family were part of the greater Chappaqua area. Public records show that he lived in the Town of Mount Pleasant, in a section that is part of the Chappaqua school district and zip code.
His funeral was slated for Sunday at in Bedford Corners, the News reported.
