Three dead after two helicopters collide midair near Oregon airport
Two helicopters, a Robinson R22 and an Airbus, collided midair near McMinnville Municipal Airport in Oregon on Thursday afternoon, killing all three people aboard the aircraft. The FAA and NTSB are leading an investigation into the cause of the crash.
BBC World
Three people have died after two helicopters collided in midair near a small airport in Oregon, officials said.
The collision involved a Robinson R22 and an Airbus helicopter and occurred near McMinnville Municipal Airport on Thursday afternoon. Both aircraft crashed in a field adjacent to a highway, according to the sheriff's office.
The victims aboard the Robinson R22 were identified as Maddie Aasbo, a 22-year-old flight instructor from Texas, and a student pilot from the United Kingdom whose name has not been released. The sole occupant of the Airbus was identified as Tyler Delane Sturdevant, 38, of Newberg, Oregon.
Authorities are working with the consulate and the FBI to notify the next of kin before publicly identifying the British student pilot.
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 to confirm that one of its aircraft was involved in an aviation incident that afternoon and that it was fully cooperating with investigators.
It was not immediately clear what caused the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board responded to the scene and are leading the ongoing investigation.
The BBC has contacted the FAA for comment. Authorities asked the public to avoid the area while they responded to the incident.