Oregon Helicopters Midair Collision

Authorities say two helicopters collided and crashed near a small airport southwest of Portland, Oregon, killing all three on board. The crash has forced a portion of Highway 233 to close. The Yamhill County Sheriff's Office says the crash Thursday killed a  38-year-old pilot from Oregon, a 22-year-old flight instructor from Texas and student pilot from the United Kingdom. Officials say emergency crews responded around 2:15 p.m. following reports of a crash a few miles east of the McMinnville Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration says one of the helicopters was carrying only the pilot and the other one had two people aboard. The Oregon Department of Transportation says Highway 233 is closed 1 mile west of Dayton.

Federal investigators in Oregon are working to determine why two helicopters collided during a test flight, killing all three people aboard. The National Transportation Safety Board said Friday morning that its team was on its way to examine the wreckage near McMinnville. The crash happened around 2 p.m. Thursday on a cloudy day. Witnesses reported a mid-air explosion before the helicopters crashed. The victims included a pilot from Oregon, a flight instructor from Texas, and a student pilot from the United Kingdom. The owners of the helicopters are cooperating with authorities and supporting the victims' families.