Two helicopters collide midair near Oregon airport, three people aboard
A Robinson R22 and an Airbus H125 collided midair near McMinnville Municipal Airport in Oregon on Thursday afternoon, crashing into a field and prompting authorities to close a nearby highway. The FAA confirmed the crash and said the NTSB will lead the investigation.
Two helicopters carrying three people collided midair near McMinnville Municipal Airport in Oregon on Thursday afternoon, crashing into a field and prompting authorities to close a nearby highway. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the collision in a statement to Fox News Digital, and the incident has left the condition of everyone aboard unclear.
The FAA said a Robinson R22 and an Airbus H125 collided around 2:15 p.m. local time. Only the pilot was aboard the Robinson R22, while two people were aboard the Airbus H125. The agency did not provide information about possible injuries or fatalities, so the condition of the three people aboard the aircraft has not been publicly established.
The crash occurred in a field off Oregon Route 233, about one mile west of Dayton, according to Oregon Department of Transportation spokesperson Mindy McCartt. McCartt told Fox News Digital that the highway and some nearby county roads were closed at the request of emergency responders. She said there was no estimated time for reopening, leaving drivers in the area to find alternate routes while the scene is handled.
A witness told Fox 12 that he was standing on the roof of a nearby barn when he saw the two aircraft crash midair and plummet to the ground just outside McMinnville Municipal Airport. His account offers a rare vantage point on the moments before the aircraft came down, though authorities have not yet described how the collision happened.
McMinnville Airport Manager John Paskell told Fox News Digital that the collision took place off airport property and did not disrupt airport operations. The airport remained open with no closures or restrictions. Paskell said he understood that both helicopters were based at the airport but could not confirm what activities they were conducting when the collision occurred.
The FAA said it will investigate the collision alongside the National Transportation Safety Board, which will lead the investigation and provide further updates. The agency cautioned that its information is preliminary and subject to change, meaning details about the cause, the sequence of events and the aircraft involved could shift as the review continues. The Yamhill County Sheriff's Office and the NTSB did not respond to requests for comment, so no official account from local law enforcement has yet been released.
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