Three people died after two helicopters collided in mid-air near an airport in Oregon on Thursday afternoon, October 29, prompting an investigation by federal aviation regulators.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a Robinson R22 and an Airbus H125 helicopter were involved in the collision near McMinnville Municipal Airport, about 35 miles southwest of Portland.
The Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office said emergency crews responded to reports of the collision around 2:15 p.m. local time. Both helicopters crashed into a private farm field southeast of McMinnville.
Authorities confirmed that all three people on board the plane died.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation with assistance from the FAA. Officials were unable to determine what caused the helicopters to collide.
Three people were confirmed dead
Yamhill County Sheriff Sam Elliott identified two of the victims during a news conference Thursday evening.
They were 22-year-old Maddie Aasbo, a flight instructor from Texas, and 38-year-old Tyler Delane Sturdevant, a pilot from Newberg, Oregon.
The third victim was a student pilot visiting from the United Kingdom. Authorities withheld the person’s identity until they notified family members.
According to the sheriff’s office, Aasbo and the student pilot were aboard the Robinson R22, while Sturdevant was the sole occupant of the Airbus H125.
The information differed from an initial FAA statement that named one person aboard the Robinson and two aboard the Airbus.
The Robinson R22 is a light, two-seat helicopter commonly used for flight training and recreational flying.
The Airbus H125, formerly known as the AS350, is a larger single-engine helicopter used for various missions including passenger transport, aerial work and emergency services.
The planes have different sizes and operational capabilities, but investigators have not indicated whether those differences contributed to the collision.
One of the helicopters was operated by Jerry Trimble Helicopters, a flight training and helicopter rental company based at McMinnville Municipal Airport.
The company confirmed that one of its planes was involved in the accident and said it was cooperating with investigators.
The federal investigation is currently ongoing
Rescue workers from multiple agencies responded to the crash site, where wreckage from both helicopters lay scattered across a rural field.
Photos released by the sheriff’s office showed one helicopter overturned and another severely damaged.
The collision also caused traffic delays in the area.
The Oregon Department of Transportation closed Highway 233 about a mile west of Dayton while authorities limited access to nearby roads to allow emergency crews to work.
McMinnville Municipal Airport reportedly remained open following the accident. The airport serves general air traffic and has two paved runways.
FAA and NTSB investigators arrived at the scene Thursday evening to examine the wreckage and collect evidence. The purpose of the investigation is to determine the circumstances of the collision, including the aircraft’s movements before impact.
However, authorities have not released any confirmed information about the helicopters’ flight paths, altitudes or communication routes before the crash.
No mechanical failures, operational errors or other contributing factors were identified. The NTSB will determine probable cause after reviewing the available evidence.
The circumstances under which the two helicopters came into contact near McMinnville Municipal Airport remain unclear.
