Three killed as two helicopters collide mid-air near McMinnville airport in Oregon

Two helicopters collided head-on in the air in the US state of Oregon on Thursday, October 29, in the afternoon. The accident took place near McMinnville Municipal Airport and three people were killed. After the collision, both helicopters fell into a nearby field. The incident caused alarm in the area and has once again put the safety of air travel under discussion.

According to officials, the two helicopters involved were a Robinson R22 and an Airbus AS350. The collision occurred between about 2.10 pm and 2.15 pm. The two helicopters were on different missions. One was on a training flight, while the other was flying for maintenance-related work. Within moments of the mid-air collision, both crashed to the ground.

The dead are a flight instructor and two pilots. Maddy Asbo, 22, was the flight instructor. Christopher Joffin, 31, a resident of the United Kingdom, was a trainee pilot. The third victim is Tyler Sturdevant, 38, a pilot from Oregon. All three people aboard the helicopters at the time of the accident were killed.

Police, fire brigade and medical teams reached the spot as soon as news of the incident came in.

The accident is being investigated by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The investigating agencies will examine the wreckage of the helicopters, flight data and weather conditions. The pilots' experience and the maintenance records will also be looked into. A section of the highway in the area was closed to traffic at the time of the accident.

The exact cause of the collision is not yet clear. Only after the investigation is complete will it be known whether it was a technical fault or human error. A preliminary report may be released within the next 30 days.