Data Cards Recovered From Both Aircraft in Fatal Pennsylvania Crash
Investigators recovered data cards from both aircraft involved in a fatal mid-air collision in Pennsylvania, offering hope for answers.
Federal investigators have recovered data cards from both a small plane and a State Police helicopter that collided at an airport in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, killing the plane's pilot and injuring two troopers.
Aaron McCarter, an air safety investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said during a Friday briefing that the cards were intact and retrieved from both the Cessna 150 and the Bell helicopter. He called the recovery "very good news from a data standpoint," though he cautioned that it is not yet known what information the cards contain.
McCarter also clarified the sequence of events on Wednesday evening. The helicopter made a straight-in approach to runway 28, crossing the threshold at about 6:51 p.m. local time. After touching down, it hover-taxied about 2,000 feet down the runway before moving onto grass, 30 to 50 feet off the runway surface. At that point, the Cessna, which appeared to be out of control, struck the helicopter's tail rotor, tail boom, and main rotor blades.
He emphasized that the helicopter was not on the runway when the collision occurred, correcting earlier misinformation. The Cessna was in an "unusual attitude" at impact, he added.
Investigators are also looking into whether rotor wash from the helicopter could have affected the plane, but McCarter said it is too early to determine that. He noted that weather and performance studies are underway to assess the possibility.