Three killed as two helicopters collide in midair near Oregon airport
Three people have died after two helicopters collided in midair in the US state of Oregon. The crash happened on Thursday afternoon near McMinnville Municipal Airport, officials said.
The sheriff's office said the aircraft involved were a Robinson R22 and an Airbus helicopter. After the collision, both helicopters crashed into a field beside a highway.
Authorities said one helicopter was carrying a 22-year-old flight instructor from Texas and a student pilot from the United Kingdom, both of whom were killed. The sole occupant of the other helicopter was also killed.
The flight instructor aboard the Robinson R22 was identified as Maddie Aasbo. The British student pilot has not yet been publicly identified, as authorities work with the consulate and the FBI to notify the next of kin.
The sole occupant of the Airbus helicopter was Tyler Delane Sturdevant, 38, of Newberg, Oregon, who was also killed in the crash.
One of the aircraft was operated by Jerry Trimble Helicopters, a flight training school based at McMinnville Municipal Airport. In a statement, the company said it was deeply saddened by the incident and was fully cooperating with investigators.
It was not immediately clear what caused the crash. Officials from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) responded to the scene and are leading the ongoing investigation.
After the crash, authorities asked the public to avoid the area while they responded to the incident.
