Na midair crash wey don happen for Carlisle Airport for Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, around 7 p.m. for Wednesday night, don claim one life and wound two state polis troopers. The crash happen when a small Cessna 150 plane and a state polis helicopter collide for air.
According to acting polis commissioner, Colonel George Bivens, the helicopter crew wey dey based for Harrisburg, dey do routine training exercise. The helicopter dey hover make e land for a grassy area near the runway, when the Cessna wey dey line up to land, veer right at the last moment and strike the helicopter for the rear.
The impact be very violent. The helicopter lose im blades and tail boom, come roll inverted and crash go ground on im side, partly for im roof. Both troopers wey dey inside the helicopter, Corporal Bryce Corman and Trooper Jason Mills, bin dey trapped. Bivens say Corman push out window and help Mills comot, as dem fear the damaged aircraft go catch fire.
The Cessna crash short distance away and break for multiple pieces. The pilot wey be the only person for the plane, no survive. Authorities still dey try to identify am, as dem dey wait for next of kin.
Witness Lloyd Slusser wey dey mow im lawn near the airport, say e hear a huge crash. “Probably five seconds after I turned my back, I heard a huge crash,” e tell Action News. “I immediately grab phone, my neighbor say she don call 911.”
Governor Josh Shapiro don yab the situation for news conference at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. “Tonight could have been much worse,” e talk. Shapiro also talk with the troopers’ families, thank dem for their service, and express gratitude to medical team for saving dem.
Both troopers arrive as Level 1 trauma patients, but Dr. Ashley Ludwig, trauma medical director at Hershey Medical Center, say dem suffer only minor injuries and dey for stable condition. One troopers possibly go discharge Wednesday night, the other dem admit for observation.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board dey investigate. Since Carlisle Airport no get air traffic control tower, pilots dey share radio frequency to communicate. Investigators go examine the radio communications, and dem don secure video and photographs wey go help reconstruct the collision. Governor Shapiro don contact U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to request FAA make dem expedite response.
Cause of the collision still dey under investigation.
