A midair collision Wednesday night between a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter and a small plane near Carlisle Airport killed the pilot of the Cessna and injured two state troopers, officials said. The Federal Aviation Administration said a Bell 407 helicopter and a Cessna 150 collided near the airport at about 7:50 p.m.
Pennsylvania State Police Acting Commissioner Lt. Col. George Bivens said the police helicopter was conducting routine training near a grassy area at Carlisle Airport, about 120 miles west of Philadelphia, when the collision occurred. “The Cessna plane, for an unknown reason, veered to the right at the last moment, struck the helicopter from the rear, hit the tail rotor and the main rotor, resulting in a violent crash,” Bivens said at a news briefing.
Officials said the National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation, with the FAA assisting. Federal investigators have not determined a probable cause.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
