Three people were killed after two helicopters collided midair near an airport in Oregon on Thursday afternoon, October 29, prompting an investigation by federal aviation authorities.
The collision involved a Robinson R22 and an Airbus H125 helicopter near McMinnville Municipal Airport, approximately 35 miles southwest of Portland, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office said emergency crews responded to reports of the collision at approximately 2:15 p.m. local time. Both helicopters crashed into a private farm field southeast of McMinnville.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation, with assistance from the FAA. Officials have not established what caused the helicopters to collide.
Yamhill County Sheriff Sam Elliott identified two of the victims during a Thursday evening news conference.
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 pending notification of 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, which placed one person aboard the Robinson and two aboard the Airbus.
The Robinson R22 is a lightweight, two-seat helicopter commonly used for flight training and recreational flying.
The Airbus H125, previously known as the AS350, is a larger single-engine helicopter used for various missions, including passenger transportation, aerial work, and emergency services.
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