3 dead after 2 helicopters collide midair near Oregon airport, sheriff says

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Three people died when two helicopters collided midair near an Oregon airport on Thursday, sparking an ongoing federal investigation.

Law enforcement seen near McMinnville Municipal Airpor on October 29, 2026. Three people aboard two helicopters are dead after they were involved in a midair collision Thursday afternoon, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Three people died aftertwo helicopterscollided midair near an airport in northwest Oregon on Thursday afternoon, according to the Yamhill County sheriff.

Responding crews found the crashed helicopters in a private farm field in a rural area near McMinnville Municipal Airport, according to the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office. McMinnville is about 40 miles southwest of Portland.