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A small plane and a helicopter have clipped each other over Northern California, leaving two pilots with minor injuries, authorities said.

The six-seat Beechcraft Bonanza crashed Sunday just short of an airport, while the two-seat Robinson R22 helicopter landed in a field just off state Highway 160.

The accident happened about 7 p.m. about 8 miles (13 kilometres) south of the small Rio Vista Municipal Airport, halfway between Oakland and Sacramento along the Sacramento River, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said.

The two pilots were taken to hospitals with minor injuries, Sacramento County sheriff's Deputy Jason Ramos said.

It was not clear if anyone else was aboard either aircraft.

The plane went down near the airport it was trying to reach in Byron, some 20 miles (32 kilometres) to the south.

Both aircraft had private owners, according to FAA records.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.

There was no immediate word on what may have caused the crash.