Three people were killed when a Robinson R22 and an Airbus AS350B3 collided in flight near McMinnville Municipal Airport (MMV) in Oregon.
The helicopters crashed into a farm field southeast of McMinnville, southwest of Portland. Emergency crews responded at about 2:10 p.m. on October 29, 2026, and found two people aboard the Robinson and one in the Airbus. All three died, according to the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office.
The Robinson was on an instructional flight carrying a 22-year-old flight instructor from Texas and a 31-year-old student pilot from the United Kingdom.
Another pilot, 38, was alone in the Airbus on a check flight after maintenance, NTSB Air Safety Investigator Grant Mills said during an October 30 briefing.
Mills said witnesses placed the helicopters about 500 feet above the ground when they collided, roughly a mile east of the airport.
The Robinson belonged to Jerry Trimble Helicopters, a flight school based at MMV.
“Our hearts and thoughts are with the individuals involved, their families, and everyone affected by this event,” the school said in a statement.
The AS350 pilot flew for Precision, which remembered him as a senior pilot and mentor. The company said it was supporting the victims’ families and cooperating with the investigation.
The NTSB is leading the investigation into the collision.
McMinnville Municipal Airport does not have a control tower. Pilots use a shared radio frequency to announce their positions and intentions at the uncontrolled field.
The NTSB expects to issue a preliminary report in about 30 days.