A routine evening near a small Pennsylvania airport turned into a dramatic emergency Wednesday when a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter and a Cessna 150 airplane collided in midair and crashed near Carlisle Airport.

The collision happened at about 7:50 p.m. on August 19, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The aircraft involved were a Bell 407 helicopter carrying two state troopers and a small Cessna 150. The number of people aboard the plane was initially unclear.

The impact sent both aircraft down near the airport in Cumberland County, triggering a major emergency response. Photos from the scene showed the police helicopter lying on its side in a grassy area, surrounded by debris, while emergency crews moved through the area.

The incident immediately drew the attention of state and federal authorities. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he had been briefed on the crash and was heading to the scene, asking residents to keep those involved in their thoughts and prayers.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the collision. At this stage, authorities have not publicly determined what caused the two aircraft to come into contact.

Carlisle Airport is a relatively small facility with a single runway measuring about 4,008 feet long. It does not have a control tower, meaning pilots communicate their positions and intentions over a common radio frequency.

Witnesses told local media that the state police helicopter had been flying at low altitude and performing maneuvers around the airport shortly before the crash. Those observations have not been established as the cause of the collision, and investigators will determine what happened based on flight data, aircraft evidence and witness information.

The crash scene remained active as investigators and emergency personnel examined the wreckage and worked to establish exactly how the aircraft ended up on a collision course.

The incident also comes as aviation safety remains under heightened public scrutiny following several high-profile aircraft accidents in the United States. However, investigators have not indicated that this crash is connected to any previous accident.

For now, the most important questions remain unanswered: Why did the helicopter and small plane collide, and what happened to everyone aboard?

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are expected to release additional information as the aircraft wreckage and available flight data are examined.

This is a developing story. Current official reporting has not yet established the final cause of the collision or provided a complete account of the conditions surrounding the crash.