Trimble Helicopters Confirms Loss of Aircraft in Mid-Air Collision Near McMinnville

Three people lost their lives when two helicopters collided mid-air at 2:15 p.m. on Thursday near McMinnville Municipal Airport in Oregon. The accident occurred at an intersection of Lafayette Highway and Southeast Stringtown Road, southeast of the town center.

The NTSB identified the aircraft as an Airbus Helicopters AS350B2 and a Robinson R22. Jerry Trimble Helicopters, a flight training company, confirmed via social media that one of its aircraft was part of the collision. The R22 was carrying a flight instructor and a student pilot, while the AS350B2 had one occupant.

Yamhill County Sheriff Sam Elliott identified the R22 crew at a news conference Thursday night. Maddie Aasbo, a 22-year-old instructor from Texas, was killed. Her student, a pilot from the United Kingdom, also died; officials have not yet released the student's name while they contact the family. The third victim was Tyler Sturdevant, 38, of Newberg, who was in the Airbus helicopter.

A witness standing on the roof of a nearby barn watched the two helicopters strike each other and fall outside the airport perimeter. He called 911 immediately after the impact. The scene remains under investigation by federal and local authorities.

The crash closed local roads while first responders worked the site. The NTSB is leading the inquiry into the cause of the mid-air collision.