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State Police Helicopter and Cessna 150 Collide in Midair Near Carlisle Airport

The NTSB will lead a formal probe that could take months to determine how both aircraft entered the same uncontrolled airspace.

Overview

  • Federal authorities say a Bell 407 operated by the Pennsylvania State Police and a Cessna 150 collided near Carlisle Airport at about 7:50 p.m. on Wednesday.
  • The FAA confirmed two people were aboard the State Police helicopter while the number of occupants on the Cessna has not been determined.
  • Local emergency crews sealed the scene, the Cumberland County coroner was called to the airport, and Governor Josh Shapiro traveled to the site.
  • The NTSB will lead the investigation with FAA support and expects to post an initial factual report soon while a full probable-cause finding may take many months to more than a year.
  • Investigators will examine how pilots coordinated in Carlisle’s uncontrolled airspace, a safety issue that drew renewed attention after last year’s high‑casualty midair collision at Reagan National Airport.