Carlisle Plane Crash Investigation Examines Fatal Collision With State Police Helicopter

Federal investigators review unusual approach at Carlisle airport

CARLISLE, Pennsylvania — Federal investigators are examining why a small plane veered during its landing approach at a rural Carlisle airport and struck a hovering Pennsylvania State Police helicopter, killing the plane’s lone pilot and injuring two troopers during a training exercise Wednesday.

The collision involved a Cessna 150 and a Bell 407 helicopter, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The Cessna was attempting to land when it moved to the side of its approach path and hit the rear of the helicopter, which was hovering over a grassy area beside the runway, state police said.

Both aircraft fell to the ground after the impact. The Cessna pilot, identified by the Cumberland County Coroner’s Office as Paul William Sokoloski, 57, was killed. He was the only person aboard the single-engine aircraft.

Investigators say no immediate cause has been identified

Aaron McCarter, the investigator-in-charge for the National Transportation Safety Board, said Thursday that investigators have not determined what caused the Cessna to deviate before the crash. The agency will assess the wreckage, the aircraft, pilot actions and weather and other environmental conditions at the time of the collision.

McCarter said the Cessna’s flight path appeared unusual and that investigators are working to establish why the aircraft approached from that direction before making a sudden turn. Sokoloski had been performing maintenance work on the plane before the flight, McCarter said, although investigators have not determined whether a mechanical problem played any role.

The airport did not have an air traffic control tower, a common arrangement at smaller general-aviation airports. Pilots instead coordinate their movements through a shared radio frequency. McCarter said communication had been established between the two flight crews and investigators have strong evidence that the Cessna pilot had been told the helicopter was operating nearby.

Investigators are also considering whether the helicopter may have been obstructed from the Cessna pilot’s view or whether visibility factors affected the approach. McCarter stressed that the inquiry remains at an early stage and said he had no information indicating either pilot was at fault.

Two troopers survive violent helicopter crash

The helicopter’s tail boom and rotor blades were torn away in the impact before the aircraft came down on its side, authorities said. Lt. Col. George Bivens, Pennsylvania’s acting police commissioner, said the two troopers inside were trapped until one forced open a window and helped the other escape.

Cpl. Bryce Corman, who was piloting the helicopter, and Trooper Jason Mills were airlifted to Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Gov. Josh Shapiro said Thursday that Corman had been released, while Mills remained hospitalized but was expected to recover.

The Carlisle plane crash underscores the risks of operating near active runways at non-towered airports, where crews must rely heavily on radio calls, visual awareness and coordination with other aircraft. The NTSB’s investigation remains ongoing, and officials have not announced a preliminary cause of the fatal collision.