A midair collision between two helicopters near an airfield southwest of Portland, Oregon, left three people dead on Thursday afternoon and prompted the closure of a nearby state highway, officials said.
The crash happened around 2:15 p.m. local time near McMinnville Municipal Airport, approximately 35 miles southwest of Portland, according to statements from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office reported by CBS News and ABC News. Emergency personnel rushed to a field off Oregon Route 233, roughly one mile west of Dayton, where the wreckage fell.
Midair Collision and Fatalities
The aircraft involved were identified by the FAA as an Airbus H125 and a Robinson R22, Fox News reported. Federal aviation officials initially stated that three individuals were on board across the two helicopters, including one pilot on the Robinson R22 and two people in the Airbus H125.
However, the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office later confirmed that all three people involved died in the wreck, CBS News reported. Sheriff’s officials identified two of the deceased as 22-year-old flight instructor Maddie Aasbo of Texas and an unnamed British student pilot, attributing them to the Robinson R22, while identifying 38-year-old Tyler Delane Sturdevant of Newberg, Oregon, as the pilot of the Airbus, according to CBS News.
A witness who was working atop a nearby barn told television station Fox12 that he watched the two helicopters collide in flight before plummeting into an open area outside the perimeter of the airfield, New York Post reported. The bystander promptly dialed 911 to alert local first responders.
Flight School Confirms Involvement
One of the helicopters belonged to Jerry Trimble Helicopters, a flight training company operating out of McMinnville Municipal Airport, CBS News reported. The business released a statement offering condolences.
“Our hearts and thoughts are with the individuals involved, their families and everyone affected by the event,” the flight school said.
Airport Manager John Paskell told Fox News Digital that while both aircraft were believed to be based at the airport, the impact occurred off airport grounds. Paskell confirmed that the incident did not disrupt flight activity at the 650-acre facility, which kept its two paved runways operational without closures or flight restrictions.
Road Closures and Federal Investigation
The impact left twisted wreckage across a field, prompting deputies and transportation officials to block off traffic throughout the surrounding area. The Oregon Department of Transportation reported that Highway 233 was shut down west of Dayton with no immediate timeline for reopening, while the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office urged motorists and residents to stay away from the area, ABC News reported.
The cause of the midair collision remains under investigation. The FAA announced that the National Transportation Safety Board is taking the lead in determining what caused the aircraft to strike each other, with the safety board actively collecting evidence from the site, authorities told Fox News and CBS News.
