Two Pennsylvania State Police troopers and the pilot of a small aircraft survived a mid-air collision over the countryside west of the town of Carlisle on Tuesday evening, a state police spokesman told news outlets that were scrambling to find details about the incident. The collision at 4:42 p.m. Involved a state police Bell 407 helicopter and a Cessna 150 airplane west of the town of Carlisle in Cumberland County, Pa.
According to initial reports, the plane’s pilot was killed, but the two troopers were unharmed and airlifted from the wreckage as a precaution.
Federal Aviation Administration investigators already are on the way, and members of the National Transportation Safety Board soon also will be there to look into the crash.
What Happened at Carlisle Airport?
The collision took place in the evening Wednesday at Carlisle Airport in Cumberland County, central Pennsylvania. Officials say Pennsylvania State Police helicopter had landed and was performing a training exercise when it crashed into a Cessna 150 small plane. The helicopter landed on its side by the runway.
Fragments were seen scattered in the area around the small aircraft crash.
The crash was so violent Pennsylvania State Police Acting Commissioner Lt. Col George Bivens described it in a news conference. The helicopters were seen flying only a few feet above ground when they collided . Aviation investigators will be trying to figure out what sequence was the one who caused helicopters to come into the same flight path.
Who Was Injured in the Pennsylvania State Police Helicopter Crash?
Two Pennsylvania State Police troopers were aboard the Bell 407 helicopter when it collided with the Cessna.
They were identified as:
- Corporal Pilot Bryce Corman
- Trooper Pilot Jason Mills
The troopers survived the crash and were taken to a hospital for examination. Injuries from crash, report: ‘Will not be fatal’ Posted Dec. 1, 2019 at 9:38 AM Dec. 1, 2019 at 9:38 AM The two members of the helicopter’s crew were caught inside after it flipped over.
As it turned out, one managed to crawl out the window to pull the other to safety before responders reached the helicopter, officials said.
Who Was Killed in the Carlisle Plane Crash?
The pilot of the Cessna 150 was killed in the crash. Next-of-kin notification is in progress and officials have declined to identify the pilot yet.
The pilot was considered to be the sole occupant of the small aircraft, although the aircraft occupancy (among other information) must be confirmed by investigators
What Type of Aircraft Were Involved?
Two aircraft were involved in the collision:
Pennsylvania State Police Bell 407 Helicopter
The helicopter belonged to the Pennsylvania State Police and had two troopers aboard. They were conducting a training exercise at the time of the crash.
Cessna 150 Airplane
The other aircraft was a Cessna 150, a small two-seat general-aviation airplane.
The FAA confirmed that the Cessna and Bell 407 were involved in the collision at Carlisle Airport.
Where Did the Pennsylvania State Police Helicopter Crash?
A plane crash Wednesday morning has killed two former agents of the DEA at the Carlisle Airport in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. It is located just a few miles from the Carlisle borough, some 110 miles west of Philadelphia according to aviation records. There are no planes taking off or landing now, although aviation officials say that one other private plane at the airport had to be brought down in controlled circles over the airport after landing before emergency services and pilots at the scene said they no longer could and forced a crash landing.
Photo of scene: Pennsylvania State Police Aviation Crash near Carlisle, Pa on Feb 4, 2004.
The photo shown for the plane crash also contained a Pennsylvania state police helicopter near the crash which lay on it’s side in an open field at a small general aviation airport and in some wreckage of what could be another plane with emergency vehicles at the scene.
What Caused the Plane and Helicopter Collision?
Officials did not determine what caused the collision.
It has been stated from preliminary findings by officials that the Cessna began to make a sudden shift toward the helicopter as the plane moved along the runway. No final judgment has yet been passed, though, about the direct causes of the accident.
The crash is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration along with the help of National Transportation Safety Board and Pennsylvania State Police.
During the investigation there could possibly be further access to information regarding pilot operations, aviation communications, visibility at airport and general flight conditions along with aircraft movements.
Was Carlisle Airport Operating With a Control Tower?
Because Carlisle is a small general-aviation airport, you don’t have the “type of control tower” situation as found at large commercial airports.
Pilots generally communicate where they are with the common traffic advisory frequency at non-towered fields to help other traffic find out what others are up to, not under the control of some air traffic controller for each flight.
What Are the FAA and NTSB Investigating?
The FAA and NTSB are leading the federal investigation into the crash.
Investigators are expected to examine evidence including:
- The flight paths of both aircraft
- Pilot communications
- Aircraft maintenance and operational records
- Weather and visibility conditions
- Airport procedures
- Witness accounts
- Aircraft wreckage
- Radar or other available flight data
The investigation will ultimately seek to determine what led to the collision and whether any safety recommendations are warranted.
Pennsylvania State Police Response
The Pennsylvania State Police is involved in investigating, and two of their own are dealing with their own aviation-related injuries. The agency serves as law enforcement and provides public-safety services across the state and maintains aviation assets. As part of the agency’s efforts to protect the public, it has a law-enforcement aviation program.
Gov.
Josh Shapiro was also updated on the crash. The governor journeyed to the area after the plane landed and Officials expressed the gravity of the plane crash while stressing how much worse it could have been considering the troopers ‘survival.
What We Know About the Carlisle Airport Crash So Far
Here are the key confirmed details currently available:
| Detail | Information |
| Location | Carlisle Airport, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania |
| Date | August 19, 2026 |
| Aircraft involved | Pennsylvania State Police Bell 407 and Cessna 150 |
| Fatalities | 1 |
| Injured | 2 Pennsylvania State Police troopers |
| Troopers identified | Bryce Corman and Jason Mills |
| Investigation | FAA and NTSB |
| Cause | Under investigation |
These details may be updated as investigators release additional information.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to the Pennsylvania State Police helicopter?
A Pennsylvania State Police Bell 407 helicopter collided with a Cessna 150 near Carlisle Airport in Pennsylvania on August 19, 2026. The helicopter overturned and crashed near the runway. Both troopers aboard survived.
How many people died in the Carlisle Airport crash?
One person died. The fatality was the pilot of the Cessna 150, who was believed to be the airplane’s only occupant.
Who were the Pennsylvania State Police troopers injured in the crash?
The two injured troopers were identified as Corporal Pilot Bryce Corman and Trooper Pilot Jason Mills.
What caused the Pennsylvania helicopter crash?
The official cause has not yet been determined. The FAA and NTSB are investigating the collision.
Where did the plane and helicopter collide?
The collision occurred at Carlisle Airport in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, during the evening of August 19, 2026.
What kind of plane collided with the Pennsylvania State Police helicopter?
The airplane was a Cessna 150, while the Pennsylvania State Police aircraft was a Bell 407 helicopter.
Is the Carlisle Airport crash still under investigation?
Yes. The FAA and NTSB are investigating the crash, with assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police. The final cause has not been established.
Bottom Line
August 19, 2023 – On this date last year, a mid-air collision killed one person and injured two more when a Cessna 150 and a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter- a Bell 407-collided near the runway of Carlisle Airport. Both state police troopers in the helicopter survived; their Cessna pilot unfortunately did not.
Both FAA and NTSB continue their investigation into why the incident occurred. Until all their work is complete, the actual cause of the crash should be treated as unknown.
