Pennsylvania State Police helicopter collides with Cessna, killing pilot Dr. Paul Sokolosi

A midair collision occurred Wednesday evening at Carlisle Airport in Cumberland County involving a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter and a Cessna 150. The sole occupant of the Cessna, 57-year-old Dr. Paul William Sokolosi, a veteran emergency-medicine physician, was killed, according to the county coroner’s office. Dr. Sokolosi had spent nearly three decades in emergency medicine and most recently worked at Penn State Health, which described him as a valued member of its team.

The two police pilots, Corporal Bryce Corman and Trooper Jason Mills, were airlifted from the scene. Governor Josh Shapiro said Corman has been discharged from the hospital and Mills remains hospitalized but is expected to recover.

Video of the incident, which shows the Cessna striking the tail of the hovering helicopter before both aircraft broke apart, has circulated online. Acting Police Commissioner Lt. Col. George Bivens described the crash as “very violent.”

National Transportation Safety Board investigator Aaron McCarter said the probe is in its early stages and no fault has been assigned. He noted that both pilots were flight instructors, communication had been established before the collision, and that the Cessna’s flight path was unusual. The investigation will examine wreckage, pilot actions and environmental conditions, including whether visual factors or mechanical issues contributed to the accident.