A pilot was killed after a small aircraft collided with a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter near a runway at an airport in Carlisle on Wednesday, authorities said. The crash involved a Cessna 150 aircraft and a Bell 407 helicopter that was being used for a police training exercise. The two state troopers aboard the helicopter survived the collision, although both were initially trapped inside the aircraft. Authorities said the crash was severe and caused extensive damage to the plane.

According to officials, the Cessna was approaching the runway when it veered toward the helicopter, which was close to the ground. Pennsylvania's acting police commissioner, Lt. Col. George Bivens, described the incident as a violent crash during a news conference. Federal aviation authorities and investigators classified the incident as a midair collision, although state police did not immediately establish whether the Cessna was airborne at the exact moment of impact.

The crash occurred at a small airport in Carlisle, located about 110 miles, or roughly 170 kilometres, northwest of Philadelphia. The Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft involved as a Bell 407 helicopter and a Cessna 150. The Cessna is a two-seat aircraft commonly used for training purposes. Investigators were also working to determine whether the pilot who died was the only person aboard the plane when the collision occurred.

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The two pilots inside the police helicopter were reportedly trapped following the impact but managed to escape. According to Bivens, one of the pilots pushed out a window and then helped the other pilot get out through the opening. Both survived the crash, while the aircraft sustained significant damage. Officials said the helicopter had been conducting a training exercise when the collision took place, though the exact circumstances leading to the accident remained under investigation.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said the incident could have resulted in a much greater tragedy, particularly for the state police personnel involved. Authorities did not immediately release the identity of the deceased pilot because the person's next of kin had not yet been notified. Images and videos circulating after the crash showed the helicopter lying on its side near aircraft debris in a field, with emergency vehicles gathered around the site.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have begun investigating the crash to determine how the two aircraft came into contact near the runway. Investigators are expected to examine flight paths, communications, training procedures, aircraft movements and other factors that may have contributed to the collision. Officials have not yet announced the precise cause of the crash, and further details are expected as the investigation progresses.

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