Archive photo: A Robinson R22 in Bristol, England, in 2005; not the aircraft involved. Adrian Pingstone / public domain; cropped.
Three people died when two helicopters collided near McMinnville Municipal Airport in Oregon on Thursday, Yamhill County Sheriff Sam Elliott confirmed in an evening briefing.
“All three are deceased,” Elliott said in the recorded sheriff’s briefing. He said responders found the two helicopters in a private farm field southeast of McMinnville.
The Federal Aviation Administration’s preliminary statement says a Robinson R22 and an Airbus H125 collided in midair near the airport at about 2:15 p.m. local time. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate, with the NTSB leading and providing further updates.
Recovery and investigation underway
Elliott said recovery efforts were continuing and that federal investigators were at the scene. Asked about a preliminary cause, he said that determination would be up to the FAA and NTSB.
The sheriff and the FAA agreed that three people were aboard the two aircraft but gave different preliminary accounts of how many were in each helicopter. Elliott acknowledged that difference during the briefing and described his account as preliminary information from responding personnel.
The sheriff’s office’s initial written notice said deputies received a report of a midair collision at 2:14 p.m. near Southeast Highway 154 and Southeast Stringtown Road. Local law enforcement, fire and medical crews responded.
Elliott said sections of Highway 233 and Stringtown Road remained closed during recovery efforts. Drivers approaching the area should follow local closures and avoid the crash scene. The early written notice and the briefing used different highway descriptions; neither provides a timetable for reopening.
No cause has been established in the preliminary statements. The FAA cautions that its accident information is preliminary and subject to change.
JBizNews Desk | Oregon
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