Two helicopters collide midair near an Oregon airport in the US, both crash into a field

Two helicopters collided midair on Thursday afternoon near McMinnville Municipal Airport in the US state of Oregon. Both helicopters crashed into a field after the collision. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the incident in a statement.

According to the FAA, a Robinson R22 helicopter and an Airbus H125 helicopter collided at around 2:15 p.m. local time. Only the pilot was aboard the Robinson helicopter, while two people were aboard the Airbus helicopter — three people in total across the two aircraft.

The FAA provided no information about possible injuries or fatalities. The conditions of the three people aboard the two helicopters therefore remain unclear.

Oregon Department of Transportation spokesperson Mindy McCartt said the collision occurred in a field off Oregon Route 233, about one mile west of the town of Dayton.

McCartt added that the highway and some nearby county roads were closed at the request of emergency responders. No estimated reopening time was given.

McMinnville Airport manager John Paskell said the collision occurred off airport property and did not disrupt airport operations. The airport remained open without closures or restrictions.

Paskell said he understood that both helicopters were based at the airport, but he could not confirm what activities they were conducting or how the collision occurred.

The FAA said it would investigate the collision alongside the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which will lead the investigation and provide further updates. The agency cautioned that its information was preliminary and subject to change.

The Yamhill County Sheriff's Office and the NTSB did not respond to requests for comment.