CARLISLE, Pa. — The pilot of a small plane was killed when the aircraft collided with a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter during a training exercise on Wednesday, authorities said. Two state troopers were injured in the midair crash at Carlisle Airport.

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During a news conference on Wednesday, officials said that a Cessna 150 airplane and a Bell 407 helicopter belonging to the state police collided in midair over Carlisle around 7:50 p.m. ET, WGAL reported.

The Cessna was descending onto the runway of the airport and veered sharply to the right into the helicopter near the ground, according to Lt. Col. George Bivens, the state’s acting police commissioner.

The plane struck the helicopter’s rear tail rotor before entering its main rotor, WPVI reported.

“When I say it was a very violent crash, that plane was cut into a lot of pieces,” Bivens told reporters.

Gov. Josh Shapiro and Bivens identified the injured troopers as Cpl. Bryce Korman and Trooper Jason Mills, WGAL reported.

The identity of the pilot has not been revealed, pending next-of-kin notification, according to WPXI.

The Cessna is a two-seat aircraft that is typically used as a trainer aircraft, Bivens said, according to The Associated Press.

The occupants in the helicopter were trapped until one of the troopers pushed out a window and assisted the other one out of the aircraft, Bivens said. The troopers were conducting a training exercise when the crash occurred.

“Tonight could’ve been much worse,” Shapiro said. “Tonight could’ve been much more tragic for our state police family.”

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash, WPXI reported.

Carlisle is located approximately 110 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

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