Flight instructor, UK student and pilot killed as 2 helicopters collide midair near Oregon airport
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Three people were killed after two helicopters smashed into each other while flying near an Oregon airport on Thursday, according to authorities.
A Robinson R22 helicopter with two people on board crashed into an Airbus H125 carrying just the pilot near McMinnville Municipal Airport around 2:15 p.m. local time, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
There were no survivors from the collision.
Aboard the Robinson were 22-year-old Texas flight instructor Maddie Aasbo and a 31-year-old student pilot from the United Kingdom who has not been publicly identified pending proper family notification, Yamhill County Sheriff Sam Elliot said at a press conference.
The sole occupant of the Airbus was identified as Tyler Sturdevant, 38, a pilot from Oregon, according to the sheriff.
Police, firefighters, and medical responders rushed to the small airport, about 35 miles southwest of Portland, after receiving a report of the mid-air collision, the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
A witness told Fox12 that he was standing on the roof of a nearby barn when he saw the two aircraft crash mid-air and plummet to the ground just outside the perimeter of the airport.
The stunned man then immediately called 911.
One of the choppers belonged to Jerry Trimble Helicopters — an aviation school located at the airport, the organization confirmed in a statement on Facebook.
“Our hearts and thoughts are with the individuals involved, their families, and everyone affected by this event,” the school said.
The school — which offers services from demo flights for first-time flyers to advanced training — said it is working with local authorities as well as the FAA and NTSB to determine the cause of the collision.
“Roadways around the crash site are currently closed. We are asking the community to keep clear of the area,” the department wrote, asking for patience as they respond to the “critical incident”
Photos showed the crumpled helicopter debris in a pile on a vast field.
The NTSB will lead the investigation and provide further updates, the FAA said.
With Post wires
