Pilot killed, 2 injured after small plane collides with police chopper

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- A small plane collided with a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter during a training exercise near Carlisle Airport

- The Cessna 150 pilot died, while two troopers aboard the helicopter suffered minor injuries

- Investigators from the FAA and NTSB are examining the cause of the midair collision

A pilot was killed and two Pennsylvania State Police troopers injured after a small plane collided midair with a police helicopter near an airport in Pennsylvania, United States.

The Cessna 150 crashed into a Bell 407 helicopter shortly before 7pm on Wednesday, August 19, while the helicopter was conducting a training exercise near Carlisle Airport in Cumberland Valley.

Pennsylvania State Police Acting Commissioner Col. George Bivens said the helicopter was hovering several feet above a grassy area beside the runway when the small plane approached the airport.

How the plane crashed

According to preliminary findings, the Cessna came from behind and suddenly veered to the right before striking the helicopter from the rear, causing what Bivens described as a “very violent crash”.

The plane crashed a short distance away and broke into several pieces, while the helicopter lost its blades before hitting the ground and rolling onto its side.

The pilot of the Cessna is believed to have been the aircraft's only occupant. Authorities had not identified the pilot as investigations continued and next of kin were notified.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro identified the injured helicopter occupants as Cpl. Bryce Corman and Trooper Jason Mills.

“Tonight could have been much worse,” Shapiro said during a news conference at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

Both troopers were initially trapped inside the helicopter wreckage. Bivens said Corman managed to force open a window and then helped Mills escape from the damaged aircraft.

Details of injured troopers

The two officers were taken to Hershey Medical Center as Level 1 trauma patients. Dr Ashley Ludwig, the facility's trauma medical director, said they sustained minor injuries and were in stable condition.

One of the troopers was expected to be discharged later that night, while the other was admitted for observation.

The cause of the collision remained under investigation. The Federal Aviation Administration responded to the scene on Wednesday night, while the National Transportation Safety Board was expected to join the investigation overnight.

Carlisle Airport is an uncontrolled airport, meaning it does not have an air traffic control tower or controllers on site. Aircraft operating there coordinate their movements using a shared radio frequency that can be heard by other pilots.

Source: TUKO.co.ke

Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.