Three killed in midair collision between two helicopters near McMinnville
An experienced pilot and a flight instructor with a student died after an Airbus and a Robinson crashed in a farm field in Yamhill County on Thursday.
By Daphne Turner ·
Three people died on Thursday afternoon when two helicopters collided in midair and crashed into an agricultural field near McMinnville, Oregon. The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed the fatalities on Friday morning as its investigation team traveled to the site.
The crash occurred at approximately 2 p.m. Under cloudy skies. Authorities described the scene as showing a red helicopter in a destroyed state within a crop field. A green helicopter was found overturned on its side nearby. The location lies in the Willamette Valley, roughly one hour southwest of Portland and near the Coast Range foothills.
Sheriff Sam Elliott of Yamhill County identified the victims during a press conference. Tyler Sturdevant, 38, was the pilot of the Airbus AS350B3. Maddie Aasbo, 22, a flight instructor from Texas, and a 31-year-old student pilot from the United Kingdom were aboard the Robinson R22. The student pilot's name has not been released.
Leo Rodríguez was working on the roof of a barn at his family's winery near the crash site when the incident happened. He saidthat he heard an explosion in the air. He ducked to move, then looked up to see the aircraft falling. Rodríguez said the rear of the larger helicopter was struck. That impact caused the Airbus to spin and descend toward the ground. The smaller Robinson fell vertically.
The NTSB stated that the Airbus was conducting a maintenance flight, a routine procedure performed after repair work. The Robinson was on an instructional flight. Investigators are working to determine why the smaller aircraft struck the larger one.
Precision, a helicopter charter and maintenance company, owned the Airbus. Jerry Trimble Helicopters owned the Robinson. Both companies said they are cooperating with authorities and supporting the victims' families. Precision described Sturdevant as a senior pilot and a valued employee in an Instagram post. The company noted that he advised and encouraged many pilots during his career.
Sturdevant had worked for Precision for more than 20 years. His LinkedIn profile indicated he also served as a pilot examiner for the Federal Aviation Administration for the last four years. Jerry Trimble Helicopters offers flight training ranging from introductory demonstration flights to advanced instruction.
The NTSB team arrived in the area on Friday morning to examine the wreckage. The investigation will focus on the sequence of events that led to the midair collision and the subsequent crashes.
The crash site is located near the McMinnville airport. The valley is known for its wine production. The two aircraft involved were distinct in size and function at the time of the accident. One was a larger transport aircraft, and the other was a small training helicopter.
