Three killed after two helicopters collide midair near Oregon - Here's what we know so far

In a shocking incident, two helicopters collided midair near McMinnville Municipal Airport in Oregon, killing all three people aboard on Thursday afternoon. The deadly accident occurred in Yamhill County. Among the victims were a young flight instructor from Texas, a student pilot from the United Kingdom and an Oregon resident. Emergency responders rushed to the scene after receiving reports of the collision, only to find that no one had survived the accident. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation to determine what went wrong and how the two helicopters collided.

WHAT HAPPENED IN THE OREGON HELICOPTER CRASH?

According to ABC News, the collision occurred around 2:10 PM local time near McMinnville, involving a 1995 Robinson R22 helicopter and a 2018 Airbus AS350B3. Witnesses reported seeing the helicopters collide near Highway 33 and Cruickshank Road, southeast of McMinnville.

When emergency crews arrived, they found both aircraft wrecked in a field near the highway. According to WJLA, the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office received an emergency call around 2:15 PM.


The Oregon Department of Transportation subsequently closed a section of Highway 233, approximately one mile west of Dayton, following the accident. Authorities confirmed that all three occupants had died, with no survivors reported.

WHO WERE THE VICTIMS, AND WHAT CAUSED THE DEADLY COLLISION?

Yamhill County Sheriff Sam Elliott identified two victims as 22-year-old Maddie Aasbo, a flight instructor from Texas, and 38-year-old Tyler Delane Sturdevant, a resident of Newberg, Oregon.

According to ABC News, Aasbo was aboard the Robinson R22 alongside a student pilot from the United Kingdom. Sturdevant was the sole occupant of the Airbus helicopter. The British student's identity was withheld while authorities coordinated with the consulate and FBI to notify the victim's family.

Meanwhile, the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have taken charge of the investigation. Investigators have yet to establish what caused the aircraft to collide.