Washington, August 20: A pilot was killed after a small aircraft collided with a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter near a runway at a small airport in Carlisle, authorities said.
Two state troopers aboard the helicopter survived the violent crash. Officials said the helicopter had been conducting a training exercise when the collision occurred.
Cessna 150 Plane Collides With Police Helicopter
According to Pennsylvania State Police, the Cessna 150 was approaching the runway when it veered into a Bell 407 helicopter that was near the ground.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) described the incident as a midair collision. However, state police said it was not immediately clear whether the plane was airborne at the time of the crash.
Lt. Col. George Bivens, the state’s acting police commissioner, said the collision was extremely violent.
The Cessna was destroyed and broke into several pieces during the crash. Investigators are also working to determine whether the pilot was the only person aboard the aircraft.
The two pilots aboard the police helicopter were initially trapped following the crash.
According to Bivens, one of the troopers managed to push out a window and then helped the other person escape through the opening.
Both troopers survived the incident. Officials said the helicopter had been involved in a training exercise before the collision.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said the incident could have resulted in a much larger tragedy.
“Tonight could’ve been much worse,” Shapiro said, expressing relief that the state police personnel survived.
The crash occurred at a small airport in Carlisle, located about 110 miles (170 kilometres) northwest of Philadelphia.
The FAA confirmed that the aircraft involved were a Bell 407 helicopter and a Cessna 150. The Cessna 150 is a two-seat aircraft commonly used for pilot training.
Officials have not yet released the identity of the deceased pilot. Authorities said the information would be withheld until the person’s next of kin are notified.
Photos and videos circulating on social media showed the helicopter lying on its side near aircraft debris in a field, while emergency vehicles gathered at the scene.
The FAA and NTSB are investigating the crash to determine what caused the collision and whether any factors related to air traffic, training operations or runway movements contributed to the incident.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he had been in contact with Governor Shapiro following the crash.
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