A Pennsylvania State Police helicopter collided midair with a Cessna Model 150 trainer plane at Carlisle Regional Airport on Aug. 19, killing the private plane's pilot. Two state police troopers aboard the helicopter—Cpl. Bryce Corman and Trooper Jason Mills of the elite aviation unit—were injured but expected to recover. The helicopter was hovering near the runway during routine training when the Cessna veered hard right and struck its rear tail rotor; the plane's pilot would not have seen the approaching aircraft.
The collision occurred at approximately 6:52 p.m. as the small Cessna lined up with a runway in a grassy area adjacent to the airfield. According to Lt. Col. George Bivens, acting commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police, the plane's sudden rightward veering caused impact with the helicopter's main rotor, resulting in a violent crash that scattered the aircraft debris across the ground. Investigators have not yet determined why the Cessna deviated from its approach path. The pilot's identity was not released pending notification of next of kin.
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