Plane pilot dies in Pennsylvania helicopter collision

A small plane struck a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter during a training exercise at Carlisle Airport on Wednesday night, killing the plane’s pilot and injuring two state troopers, officials said.

The midair collision involved a Cessna 150 and a Bell 407 helicopter just before 7 p.m. ET at the airport in Cumberland County, according to the Federal Aviation Administration and state officials. The pilot of the Cessna, believed to be the only person aboard, died at the scene. Authorities did not immediately release the pilot’s name, pending notification of next of kin.

The two troopers in the helicopter — identified by Gov. Josh Shapiro as Cpl. Bryce Corman and Trooper Jason Mills — were injured but are expected to survive. Both were taken to Penn State Hershey Medical Center, where Dr. Ashley Ludwig, the hospital’s trauma medical director, said they had minor injuries and were stable.

“Both of them, thankfully, came out with just minor injuries and are stable,” Ludwig said at a news conference.

Acting Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Lt. Col. George Bivens said the helicopter, based out of Harrisburg and operated by members of the state police aviation unit, was conducting routine training exercises at Carlisle Airport when the crash occurred. The helicopter was hovering several feet off the ground in a grassy area near a runway, he said.

Bivens said the Cessna approached from behind and lined up with one of the runways near that grass area. As it came down the runway, he said, the plane suddenly changed direction.

“As that Cessna came down along that runway, for an unknown reason, it veered hard to the right at the last moment,” Bivens said. “It struck the helicopter from the rear. The pilots would not have been able to even see that airplane approaching them.”

Bivens described the impact as violent. He said the plane hit the helicopter’s rear tail rotor and then went into the main rotor, causing the Cessna to crash a short distance away in several pieces. The helicopter rolled on the ground before coming to rest on its side and partially on its roof.

Both troopers were initially trapped inside the helicopter. Bivens said Corman was able to push out a window, free himself and then help Mills escape. One trooper could be released from the hospital before Thursday morning, while the other was expected to remain overnight for observation, Bivens said.

Shapiro said the outcome could have been worse for the state police.

“Tonight could have been much worse, tonight could have been much more tragic for our state police family, thank God that it wasn’t,” Shapiro said.

Federal investigators were at or heading to the scene Wednesday night. The FAA said the National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation, with the FAA assisting. Bivens said investigators would use available video and photographs to reconstruct what happened. The NTSB said that after the wreckage is documented, it will be moved to a secure facility for further examination.

Carlisle is about 120 miles west of Philadelphia.