NTSB: Radio Contact Established Before Fatal Pennsylvania Midair Collision

Cessna pilot died and two state patrol helicopter occupants were injured in the crash near Carlisle Airport.

Meg Godlewski

Tuesday, September 08, 2026 at 10:03 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A Pennsylvania State Police Bell 407 was struck by Cessna 150 flying in the pattern at a nontowered airport west of Harrisburg. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The NTSB's preliminary report on the mid-air collision near Carlisle, PA, involving a Cessna 150 and a Bell 407 helicopter, confirmed pilots were in radio contact on the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) prior to the accident.
Despite radio communication, including the helicopter advising the Cessna to extend its downwind, video footage shows the Cessna pitched up and rolled into the hover-taxiing helicopter.
The collision resulted in the death of the Cessna's sole pilot, while both occupants of the helicopter survived with injuries; initial investigation found no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions in the Cessna.

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The pilots of the Cessna 150 and the state patrol Bell 407 helicopter that collided in flight near Carlisle, Pennsylvania, were in radio contact prior to the accident, according to the preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board. The accident occurred August 19 over Carlisle Airport (N94) west of Harrisburg.

According to the NTSB report released Thursday, a witness stated he heard the airport Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) communications between the helicopter flight crew and the airplane pilot. FlightAware shows the Cessna had come from Harrisburg and was flying laps in the pattern for Runway 28.