A Cessna pilot was killed when his airplane struck a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter at Carlisle Airport in Cumberland County. The NTSB released a preliminary report on the Aug. 19 collision, detailing the seconds before impact.
The federal agency said the crash happened just before 7 p.m. The Cessna was approaching the runway to land. The helicopter had already exited the runway but was hovering in a nearby field.
Final moments before the crash in Carlisle
According to the NTSB, the helicopter crew was on a training flight returning to Carlisle Airport. The crew became aware of the approaching Cessna.
A witness who heard radio transmissions told investigators the helicopter crew told the Cessna pilot to “extend his downwind.” That instruction means flying parallel to the runway for more spacing. The Cessna pilot acknowledged it, the report said.
One helicopter pilot told investigators the crew received a traffic collision avoidance system alert. The alert came before the crew spotted the airplane. The Cessna pilot had advised he was second in line to land.
Airport surveillance video showed the airplane crossing the runway threshold about 30 seconds after the helicopter. The helicopter remained near the airfield.
The report says the airplane never touched down. It continued along the runway. Then it pitched up and began to climb.
“After the airplane reached the apex of its climb, about 1 wingspans above the runway, the right wing dropped and the airplane immediately turned right and descended toward the northwest,” the NTSB report states.
Investigators said the helicopter was hovering about 50 feet north of the runway. The airplane leveled its wings, rapidly pitched up and struck the rear section of the helicopter. The airplane hit the tail rotor and main rotor blades.
Helicopter crew and Cessna pilot
The NTSB said only about eight seconds passed between the helicopter exiting the runway surface and the collision. The helicopter crew told investigators they could not see the approaching Cessna before impact. The airplane was behind them.
The Cessna broke into four pieces. The rotor and tail blades separated from the helicopter.
Both pilots aboard the helicopter suffered injuries. Both have been released from the hospital.
The pilot of the Cessna was identified by the NTSB as Dr. Paul Sokoloski, 57, of Hershey, Pennsylvania. He was killed in the crash.
What the investigation found so far
Federal investigators said teams have recovered all debris at the scene. Investigators will soon analyze data cards. They recovered all major wreckage components and flight data from both aircraft.
Post-accident examination of both aircraft found no evidence of pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures. Such failures would have precluded normal operation, the report said.
The NTSB said its investigation continues.
What the NTSB does
The National Transportation Safety Board investigates civil aviation accidents in the United States. The agency also looks at major incidents in other transportation modes. Investigators gather wreckage, flight data and witness accounts to determine probable cause. A preliminary report is released early in the process. A fuller report with a final probable cause can take more than a year to complete.
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