A pilot was killed Wednesday after a violent collision with a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter near a runway at a small airport in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, according to infohub.kz.
The two state troopers aboard the helicopter survived. Lt. Col. George Bivens, the state's acting police commissioner, said the plane was coming down on the runway and veered into the helicopter near the ground. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) called it a midair collision, but state police did not clarify if the plane was off the ground.
"When I say it was a very violent crash, that plane was cut into a lot of pieces," Bivens said during a news conference. He added that part of the investigation will be making sure the pilot was the only person on board.
The crash occurred at the small airport in Carlisle, about 110 miles (170 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia, and involved a Bell 407 helicopter and a Cessna 150, according to the FAA. The Cessna 150 is a two-seat aircraft typically used as a trainer, according to Bivens.
Both pilots in the helicopter were initially trapped until one pushed out a window and helped the other escape. The helicopter had been performing a training exercise. "Tonight could've been much worse," said Gov. Josh Shapiro. "Tonight could've been much more tragic for our state police family."
Officials are not releasing the name of the deceased until next of kin are informed. Photos and video on social media showed the helicopter on its side near aircraft debris in a field, with emergency vehicles lined up near Carlisle.
The FAA and NTSB are investigating. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he has been in touch with the governor.