Three killed in midair collision of two helicopters near McMinnville, Oregon
A midair crash involving a Robinson R-22 and an Airbus AS350 near McMinnville Municipal Airport killed three people, prompting an investigation by the NTSB and FAA.
Three people were killed when two helicopters collided in midair near McMinnville Municipal Airport in northwest Oregon on Thursday afternoon, the Yamhill County sheriff said. The crash site was located in a private field near the airport, about 40 miles southwest of Portland.
According to Sheriff Sam Elliott, one helicopter, operated by a flight-training school, carried a 22-year-old flight instructor from Texas and a student pilot from the United Kingdom; the student’s name was not released pending family notification. The second aircraft was occupied by a 38-year-old pilot from Newberg, Oregon.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration arrived at the scene that evening. The NTSB identified the aircraft as a Robinson R-22 and an Airbus AS-350.
Local authorities asked the public to avoid the area and to be patient as responders handled the incident. The flight-training company confirmed that one of its helicopters was involved and said it is cooperating with the investigation.