Small plane and police helicopter crash in midair at Pennsylvania airport

By LAUREN ACTON-TAYLOR, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 04:22, 20 August 2026 | Updated: 04:27, 20 August 2026 A Pennsylvania State Police helicopter has collided in midair with a small plane that had been circling the field, officials said.  The plane, a Cessna 150, and the Bell 407 chopper, which had two passengers on board, crashed as the helicopter approached Carlisle airport just before 8pm on Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.  Governor Josh Shapiro posted on social media that he had been 'briefed' about the collision and said he would be 'heading there now' at around 8.30pm local time.  'Lori and I are praying hard and we ask all of our fellow Pennsylvanians to join us,' he wrote.  It remains unclear how many passengers were flying in the plane. No injuries have yet been reported and the cause of the crash is not yet known.  Pictures captured at the scene by photographer Sean Simmers showed the State Police chopper on its side, while at least one person was transported on a stretcher into a medical helicopter.  According to PennLive.com, the coroner was called to the scene.   Debris could also be seen strewn across the grass as troopers investigated the incident.  The plane, a Cessna 150, and the Bell 407 chopper, which had two passengers onboard, crashed as the helicopter approached Carlisle airport just before 8pm on Wednesday Pictures captured at the scene showed the State Police chopper on its side, while at least one person was transported on a stretcher into a medical helicopter It remains unclear how many passengers were flying in the plane. No injures have yet been reported and the cause of the crash is not yet known Carlisle airport, roughly 20 miles from Harrisburg, has one 4,000 foot-long runway and no control tower for pilots to communicate. This is a common occurrence at smaller airports, according to CNN.  Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity described the incident as 'heartbreaking' and wrote on social media: 'My thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved, their families, and the first responders on the scene.  'Hoping for the best possible outcome in what is clearly a very serious situation. Please keep everyone involved in your thoughts and prayers tonight.' The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General also wrote that they are 'praying for all involved.'  The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the FAA are set to investigate the incident.  The Daily Mail reached out to the NTSB and the PA State Police for comment.