Pilot dies as plane collides with police helicopter in Pennsylvania

A pilot was killed on Wednesday when a small aircraft collided with a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter near a runway at a small airport in Carlisle, about 110 miles northwest of Philadelphia. The two troopers aboard the helicopter survived the crash, authorities said.

Pennsylvania State Police Acting Commissioner Lt. Col. George L. Bivens told reporters that the sole known occupant of the Cessna 150 did not survive. He declined to release the pilot's identity pending notification of next of kin, adding that investigators are working to confirm the plane carried only one person.

"When I say it was a very violent crash, that plane was cut into a lot of pieces," Bivens said, explaining that part of the investigation will involve verifying the number of occupants.

The helicopter, a Bell 407, was conducting a training exercise at the time. Both troopers were initially trapped inside the aircraft, but one managed to push out a window and helped the other escape through it, Bivens said. Both were taken to Hershey Medical Center as level one trauma activations.

Dr. Ashley Ludwig, the hospital's trauma medical director, said both patients arrived with only minor injuries and are in stable condition.

Gov. Josh Shapiro praised the quick response of emergency personnel and the troopers' resilience. "These two gentlemen got in a helicopter and they were conducting exercises that work to benefit our safety," he said. "Tonight could've been much more tragic for our state police family."

Shapiro also said he had spoken with U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who agreed to expedite the presence of the Federal Aviation Administration on the ground. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the collision, which authorities described as a midair incident, though state police did not clarify whether the plane had left the ground.