One Dead, Two Police Troopers Injured After Plane Collides With Helicopter in US
One person has been killed and two Pennsylvania State Police troopers injured after a small plane collided with a police helicopter during a training exercise at Carlisle Airport in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States.
The crash occurred shortly before 7pm on Wednesday, according to authorities.
The aircraft involved were a Cessna 150 and a Bell 407 helicopter operated by the Pennsylvania State Police.
The Cessna had one person on board, who died in the crash. The helicopter was carrying two pilots from the Pennsylvania State Police’s aviation unit.
Acting Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Lt. Col. George Bivens confirmed that the Cessna pilot was killed, while the two helicopter pilots survived with injuries.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro also confirmed that the two troopers were injured but expected to recover.
How the plane collided with the police helicopter
According to Bivens, the police helicopter was conducting a routine training exercise at Carlisle Airport when the collision occurred.
He initially said the helicopter was hovering several feet above the ground in a grassy area close to a runway.
The Cessna reportedly approached the area from behind before lining up with one of the airport’s runways.
Bivens said the aircraft suddenly veered sharply to the right as it came down the runway and struck the police helicopter from the rear.
He said the helicopter pilots would not have been able to see the Cessna approaching from behind.
However, the Pennsylvania State Police later said the helicopter was on the ground when the collision happened.
The National Transportation Safety Board initially described the incident as a midair collision as investigators began examining what happened.
Two troopers rescued from damaged helicopter
The collision damaged the police helicopter and left both pilots temporarily trapped inside.
Bivens said one of the pilots managed to push out a window, allowing both men to escape from the wreckage.
Eyewitness Lloyd Slusser described the crash as extremely loud and shocking.
He said one of the helicopter pilots appeared to be in worse condition than the other and was immediately attended to by first responders.
Both injured troopers were taken to Penn State Hershey Medical Center for treatment.
Dr Ashley Ludwig, the hospital’s trauma director, later said the two pilots sustained minor injuries and were in stable condition.
Investigation underway
Authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the plane and helicopter collision.
Investigators are expected to examine the movements of both aircraft, conditions at Carlisle Airport and the Cessna’s final approach before the crash.
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They will also seek to determine why the Cessna suddenly veered to the right and whether the police helicopter was airborne or on the ground when the collision occurred.
The conflicting early accounts about the helicopter’s position are expected to be clarified as investigators reconstruct the sequence of events.
The crash has also raised questions about aircraft safety during training operations, particularly at airports where multiple aircraft may be operating close to one another.
For now, authorities have confirmed that the lone occupant of the Cessna died, while the two Pennsylvania State Police helicopter pilots survived with minor injuries.
