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Chopper & Plane Crash: Pilot was Emergency Physician
20 Aug
Summary
- A state police helicopter collided with a small plane.
- The pilot of the small plane was an emergency physician.
- The crash occurred during a routine helicopter training exercise.
A state police helicopter and a Cessna 150 small plane collided near Carlisle Regional Airport on Wednesday evening. The accident occurred around 6:52 PM EDT, resulting in injuries to two individuals in addition to the pilot of the Cessna.
The police helicopter was reportedly several feet off the ground, engaged in a routine training exercise at the time of the incident. State Police Acting Commissioner Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens stated that the pilots of the helicopter would not have anticipated the approaching Cessna. The Cessna 150 was piloted by Dr. Paul Sokoloski, an emergency physician. His background as a pilot, including a commercial pilot license and certification as a flight instructor, has been noted.
The Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation into the cause of the mid-air collision. Grief has been expressed within the Penn State Health community following the tragic event.
