Pilot killed in crash with Pennsylvania State Police helicopter ID’d as ER doctor as ‘dramatic’ video of collision revealed

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Key points

• Paul William Sokoloski was identified as the Cessna 150 pilot killed in the crash at Carlisle airport in Cumberland County, according to the county Coroner's Office.
• Sokoloski spent almost three decades working in emergency medicine and was previously an assistant professor at the Penn State College of Medicine, according to his LinkedIn profile.
• Before transitioning into emergency medicine, Sokoloski worked as security police for the Pennsylvania Air National Guard.
• Aaron McCarter, investigator-in-charge with the National Transportation Safety Board, remarked Thursday that there is no immediate explanation for the fatal collision.
• The two Pennsylvania State Police chopper pilots involved in the deadly collision, Cpl.

Notably, the pilot of a small plane killed in a "violent" midair collision with a Pennsylvania State Police chopper Wednesday evening has been identified as a veteran ER doctor – as harrowing footage of the crash has been published.

Dr. Paul William Sokoloski was identified as the Cessna 150 pilot killed in the crash at Carlisle airport in Cumberland County, according to the county Coroner's Office.

Meanwhile, the 57-year-old physician most lately worked at Penn State Health. It called Sokoloski "a valued member of our emergency medicine team, " in an official note obtained by WFMZ.

"The Penn State Health community is deeply saddened by the loss of Dr. Paul Sokoloski, " the statement continued.

"We are focused on supporting Dr. Sokoloski's loved ones and the members of our care teams who worked alongside him and are grieving his passing."

Investigators say he was the only passenger aboard the small jet at the time of the crash, has his commercial pilots license.

Meanwhile, the two Pennsylvania State Police chopper pilots involved in the deadly collision, Cpl. Bryce Corman and Trooper Jason Mills, were airlifted from the scene and are projected to recover, Gov. Josh Shapiro remarked Thursday.

Corman was discharged from the hospital and Mills remains hospitalized with a good prognosis, Shapiro remarked.

Harrowing footage of what the Pennsylvania State Police called a "very violent crash" began circulating online Thursday.

Notably, the small private jet appears to be battling against wake turbulence or rotor wash before crashing into the state police helicopter hovering a few feet off the ground, according to an X account that posted the video.

In practice, the footage demonstrates the Cessna struck the tail of the hovering chopper. It resulted in an explosion of dust and aircraft debris, before crashing nearby.

"When I say it was a very violent crash, that plane was cut into a lot of pieces, " Lt. Col. George Bivens, the state's acting police commissioner, remarked during a late-night press conference Wednesday.

"Plenty of of you have all seen the videos that have turned up online. It's particularly dramatic, " McCarter stated.

"That demonstrates the collision. We see the outcome. But we want to understand why it happened."

McCarter stressed that it's early in the probe but remarked the wreckage from the crash will be analyzed and the aircraft, the actions of the pilots and the environment at the time will all be examined.

Both pilots were flight instructors and communication was established between flight crews prior to the collision, according to the NTSB investigator.

"I have no information at all to tell me either pilot of either vehicle was at fault, " McCarter remarked, adding that evidence suggests Sokoloski was produced aware of the state police chopper hovering nearby.

"I can't tell you whether or not his visual acuity or whether or not the helicopter was blocked from view, " the investigator remarked.

McCarter remarked Sokoloski was doing maintenance on his plane before the flight – but it is not yet known if his Cessna was dealing with any mechanical matters.

Notably, the investigator continued that the flight path of the small airplane was unusual and they are investigating why the plane flew in that direction before making a hard turn.

In short, pilot killed in crash with Pennsylvania State Police helicopter ID'd as ER is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.