Two helicopters collide midair near Oregon airport with three people aboard, FAA confirms
Two helicopters collided midair near McMinnville Municipal Airport in Oregon on Thursday afternoon and crashed in a field. The FAA confirmed three people were aboard; their condition was not known in the information released, and the NTSB will lead an investigation into what happened.
The collision involved a Robinson R22 carrying one pilot and an Airbus H125 carrying two people, at about 2:15 p.m. local time. It happened near Oregon Route 233, about a mile west of Dayton, prompting closures of the highway and nearby county roads at emergency responders’ request; the airport remained open.
In short
- Two helicopters collided near an Oregon airport.
- Three people were aboard; their condition was unclear.
- The NTSB will lead the investigation.
Explained simply
McMinnville Municipal Airport serves the city of McMinnville and nearby communities in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. The Robinson R22 is a small, two-seat helicopter, while the Airbus H125 is a larger model often used for work such as transport and public services.
The Federal Aviation Administration oversees civil aviation in the United States. The National Transportation Safety Board investigates transport accidents, including aircraft crashes, to establish what happened and identify contributing factors.