Cessna Hits Hovering Police Helicopter at Carlisle

During a training exercise at Carlisle Regional Airport, a Cessna 150 attempting to land veered off the runway and struck a hovering Pennsylvania State Police Bell 407 helicopter, killing the Cessna pilot and injuring two troopers who were aboard. Newly released video shows the plane hitting the helicopter from behind, severing its tail rotor and main rotor as the aircraft crashed in pieces; the helicopter rolled onto its side. The Cessna pilot has been identified as 57-year-old Dr. Paul Sokoloski of Hershey, and the two troopers’ injuries were described as stable. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA said there is not yet a clear cause for why the Cessna veered or why the collision occurred, though both aircraft were under investigation and the helicopter was hovering as part of the training. The incident remains an active probe, with authorities examining wreckage, flight actions, and environmental factors.