Two Helicopters Crash Near Airport, 3 Killed
Two helicopters crashed near Oregon airport, killing three people. Officials confirm fatalities and begin investigation.
2 min read
Three people, including a flight instructor, were killed when two helicopters crashed into each other near the McMinnville Municipal Airport in Oregon on Thursday afternoon, according to officials. The incident occurred around 2:10 p.m. near the intersection of Southeast Amity-Dayton Highway (Highway 233) and Southeast Cruickshank Road, as reported by the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office.
Crash Details and Casualties
Deputies found the wreckage of a 1995 Robinson R22 helicopter and a 2018 Airbus AS350B3 helicopter in a field near the highway. The Robinson R22 was carrying two passengers, while the Airbus helicopter had one occupant. All three individuals were confirmed dead, according to the press release. Yamhill County Sheriff Sam Elliott identified one of the occupants of the Robinson R22 as Maddie Aasbo, a 22-year-old flight instructor from Texas, during a Thursday press conference. The other occupant of the Robinson R22 was a student pilot from the U.K., whose identity has not yet been revealed.
The occupant of the Airbus helicopter was identified as Tyler Sturdevant, a 38-year-old man from Newberg, Oregon, according to Elliott. A mile stretch of the highway was closed following the crash, as stated by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT).
Witness Accounts and Company Response
Leo Rodriquez, who was working on his roof, witnessed the crash. He described hearing the helicopter noise and then seeing the crash unfold. “I heard the helicopter noise, I bent over to do something and then boom, I looked up and everything was going down,” Rodriquez said. One of the aircraft involved in the crash was operated by Jerry Trimble Helicopters, which confirmed the incident in a statement shared on Facebook. The company expressed its deep sadness over the incident.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are currently investigating the cause of the crash. No further details have been released, and the official cause of the accident is under review.
Source: Daily Caller
