Two helicopters carrying three people collided in midair Thursday afternoon near an Oregon airport, crashing into a field and forcing authorities to shut down a nearby highway.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement to News Media that a Robinson R22 and an Airbus H125 struck each other near McMinnville Municipal Airport at approximately 2:15 p.m. local time.
The Robinson R22 was carrying only its pilot, while two people were aboard the Airbus H125, according to the FAA.
A road closure sign blocks traffic near McMinnville Municipal Airport in Oregon on Thursday, following a midair collision between two helicopters. (Fox News)
The FAA did not say whether anyone was injured or killed. The conditions of all three people involved remained unclear.
The helicopters came down in a field near Oregon Route 233, roughly one mile west of Dayton, Oregon Department of Transportation spokesperson Mindy McCartt said.
McCartt told News Media that emergency responders requested the closure of the highway and several nearby county roads. No timetable was available for reopening the routes.
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John Paskell, manager of McMinnville Municipal Airport, said the crash occurred away from airport property and did not affect operations. The airport remained open with no closures or restrictions.
Paskell said he understood that both helicopters were based at the airport, but he could not confirm what they were doing before the collision or explain how the midair crash happened.
Emergency vehicles and personnel gather near a closed roadway outside McMinnville Municipal Airport in Oregon on Thursday, following a collision involving two helicopters. (Fox News)
The FAA said it would investigate the collision with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which will lead the inquiry and issue additional updates.
The FAA emphasized that the details released so far were preliminary and could change as investigators gather more information.
The Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office and the NTSB did not respond to requests for comment from News Media.