At about 2:10 p.m. local time on October 29, 2026, a midair collision occurred roughly one mile east of McMinnville Municipal Airport (MMV) in Oregon, killing three people.
The Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the Robinson R22 carried two occupants and the Airbus AS350B3 carried one; all three were pronounced dead at the scene.
The Robinson R22, owned by Jerry Trimble Helicopters, was on an instructional flight with a 22‑year‑old flight instructor from Texas and a 31‑year‑old student pilot from the United Kingdom. The Airbus AS350B3, operated by Precision, was on a post‑maintenance check flight with a 38‑year‑old senior pilot.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation and expects to issue a preliminary report within about 30 days. McMinnville Municipal Airport lacks a control tower; pilots use a shared radio frequency to announce positions.
Witnesses reported the helicopters were about 500 feet above ground when they collided, according to NTSB Air Safety Investigator Grant Mills during an October 30 briefing.