Helicopters Reportedly Collide Near McMinnville Airport

Two helicopters collided midair Thursday around 2:15 p.m. near McMinnville Municipal Airport in Oregon, southwest of Portland, according to the FAA. A Robinson R22 carrying only its pilot and an Airbus H125 carrying two people were involved. The aircraft came down in a field off Oregon Route 233, about a mile west of Dayton, the Oregon Department of Transportation reports. Route 233 and some nearby county roads are closed, with no estimated time for reopening. The NTSB will lead the investigation with the FAA, which says its information is preliminary. Whether anyone was hurt has not been determined. Three people were aboard, and my thoughts are with them, their families, and the crews on scene. Stay clear of the closures and give the responders room to work.