helicopter crash, USA News (Oregon): Three people have died in Oregon following a midair collision between two helicopters, according to the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office. Emergency responders located the wreckage of the crashed aircraft in a private farm field situated near McMinnville Municipal Airport.
One of the involved helicopters carried a British student pilot alongside a 22-year-old flight instructor from Texas named Maddie Aasbo. The second aircraft was piloted by 38-year-old Tyler Sturdevant, who hailed from Newberg, Oregon. The fatal accident occurred at approximately 2:15 p.m. local time, corresponding to 9:15 p.m. GMT.
Federal authorities confirmed that the National Transportation Safety Board is leading the ongoing investigation into the collision, with support from the Federal Aviation Administration on the scene. Yamhill County Sheriff Sam Elliott stated during a press conference that investigators and deputies are working at the site, while local law enforcement collaborates with the FBI and the British consulate to notify the family of the British student pilot, whose identity remains withheld pending family notification.
Jerry Trimble Helicopters, which operates as a training school and rental service for private flights, confirmed that one of its aircraft was involved. In a statement, the company expressed deep sadness, offered condolences to those affected, and noted its full cooperation with authorities to secure the site and determine the accident’s cause.
Emergency responders from the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office, McMinnville Police Department, and Oregon State Police all responded to the incident site. McMinnville is situated nearly 40 miles southwest of Portland. Additionally, Oregon’s Highway 233, also known as the Amity Dayton Highway, was closed while emergency services managed the response.
