In brief
Two helicopters collided over an Oregon airport on Thursday, killing a flight instructor from Texas, a student pilot from the United Kingdom and a pilot from Oregon. The accident, which forced a highway closure, involves a Robinson R22 and an Airbus H125, and the FAA and NTSB are investigating.
Three people died when two helicopters collided in midair near McMinnville Municipal Airport in Oregon on Thursday, local officials said.
The flight instructor from Texas, the student pilot from Britain and the Oregon pilot were aboard the Robinson R22 and the Airbus H125 that crashed together around 2:15 p.m. local time.
One account names the Texas instructor as 22‑year‑old Maddie Aasbo, and the Oregon pilot as 38‑year‑old Tyler Sturdevant, while another source describes them only as a flight instructor from Texas and a pilot from Newberg, Oregon. Both reports agree that a third person – a student pilot from the United Kingdom – also lost his life.
The Federal Aviation Administration identified the helicopters involved, and the NTSB will lead the investigation into the cause, which has not yet been determined.
The collision forced the closure of a key highway near the airport, disrupting traffic in the area.
Authorities are continuing to search the site and will release more details as the investigation progresses.
