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Chopper-Cessna collision in Augusta kills two

Chris Graham

Virginia State Police are investigating an aircraft collision that claimed two lives Friday afternoon in Augusta County. Trooper K. Hyden is investigating the incident and is still in the process of confirming the identities of the deceased.

At 2:27 p.m. Friday, a single-engine Cessna 172H and a medical transport helicopter made contact in the air near the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport in Weyers Cave, Va. The plane suffered severe damage and crashed to the ground. The plane’s two occupants died at the scene.

The helicopter’s skid was damaged in the collision, but was still able to safely land at the airport. The helicopter, AirCare 5 Medevac, had a pilot and a medical crew of two on board at the time. The helicopter had transported a patient to the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville and was returning to the airport at the time of the incident. No one on the helicopter was injured.

State police have notified the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Investigators with both agencies are en-route to the scene.

The circumstances and cause surrounding the collision remain under investigation at this time.

Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at [email protected].

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham, the king of "fringe media," a zero-time Virginia Sportswriter of the Year, and a member of zero Halls of Fame, is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].