USA19 August, 20262 min read
Cessna 150 And Pennsylvania State Police Bell 407 Helicopter Collide Near Carlisle Airport
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Collision between a Cessna 150 and a Bell 407 near Carlisle Regional Airport One pilot killed and two Pennsylvania State Police troopers injured
9 outlets told this the same way.
Midair crash near Carlisle
A pilot was killed and two Pennsylvania State Police troopers were injured when a Cessna 150 and a Pennsylvania State Police Bell 407 helicopter collided midair near Carlisle Airport in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, during a training exercise on Wednesday evening.
Acting Pennsylvania State Police commissioner Lt. Col. George Bivens said the Cessna veered hard to the right as it attempted to land and struck the helicopter from behind as it hovered near the runway.
Bivens said the helicopter rolled and crashed onto its side and roof, trapping the two troopers on board, and Corporal Bryce Corman opened a window and helped Trooper Jason Mills out.
The troopers were taken to Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center for minor injuries and were in stable condition, said Dr. Ashley Ludwig, the hospital’s trauma medical director.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration said they would investigate the collision.
Officials praise response
Gov. Josh Shapiro said, "Tonight could’ve been much worse. Tonight could have been much more tragic for our state police family," after the crash at Carlisle Airport.
Bivens described the crash as "a very violent crash" and said the helicopter rolled inverted and crashed into the ground on its side and partially onto its roof.
Dr. Ashley Ludwig said both pilots sustained minor injuries and were stable, and the helicopter crew was conducting routine training exercises at Carlisle Airport when the crash occurred just before 7 p.m. ET.
The FAA said the NTSB would lead the investigation, with the FAA assisting, and Bivens said there was some communication on a common traffic radio frequency that investigators would sort out.
ABC reported that investigators have secured video and photographs that could help reconstruct the collision, and that the cause remains under investigation.
Investigation and what’s next
Authorities said the pilot of the Cessna 150 was believed to be the plane’s only occupant, but officials also said it was part of the investigation to ensure there was one occupant. The crash site was secured and the FAA arrived on scene within an hour, while the NTSB was expected overnight, according to Bivens. CNN reported that Carlisle Airport has a single 4,000-foot-long runway and no control tower, so pilots communicate their intentions on a common radio frequency, an arrangement CNN said is common at small airports.
Univision reported that airspace was closed as the crash was investigated, and that the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board would oversee the investigation to determine what caused the midair collision. ABC said the FAA arrived at the crash scene Wednesday night and the NTSB was expected to arrive overnight, while state police said investigators would examine communications on the common traffic radio frequency as part of their inquiry.