A student pilot from the United Kingdom is among three people killed when two helicopters collided in mid-air near McMinnville Municipal Airport in Oregon, United States, on Thursday 29 October.
The sheriff’s updated account places the crash near the junction of SE Amity-Dayton Highway (Highway 233) and SE Cruickshank Road, south-east of McMinnville, about 35 miles south-west of Portland. Witnesses reported the collision at approximately 2.10pm local time on 29 October. Responders located both helicopters in a field beside Highway 233.
What we know
Yamhill County authorities identified two of those who died as Maddie Aasbo, a 22-year-old flight instructor from Texas, and Tyler Sturdevant, a 38-year-old pilot from Oregon. The third person was described as a student pilot from the United Kingdom. Their name had not been released while relatives were being notified.
The sheriff’s updated statement identifies the aircraft as a 1995 Robinson R22 and a 2018 Airbus AS350B3. It confirms that flight instructor Maddie Aasbo and the UK student pilot were aboard the Robinson, while Tyler Delane Sturdevant was the sole occupant of the Airbus. An initial FAA statement had placed the occupants in the opposite aircraft.
One of the helicopters was associated with Jerry Trimble Helicopters, a flight training business based at McMinnville Airport. The company said it was co-operating with investigators.
What authorities have said
The Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office said it received the initial collision report at 2.14pm local time. Police, firefighters and medical teams attended the scene. Oregon Highway 233, about a mile west of Dayton, and local roads were closed while emergency services worked at the crash site.
Sheriff’s press conference
Yamhill County Sheriff Sam Elliott addressed the collision at a press conference on Thursday. Watch the briefing below.
The sheriff’s office asked people to avoid the area. The airport itself remained open, according to the Associated Press.
What we don’t know
The cause of the mid-air collision has not been established. Investigators have yet to explain how the two aircraft came into contact, and the identity of the UK student pilot has not been publicly confirmed.
Who is investigating?
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation, supported by the FAA. Any conclusions about the pilots’ actions, aircraft systems or circumstances of the collision would be premature.
Correction, 30 October 2026: The crash location and the allocation of occupants between the two helicopters have been clarified following an updated statement from the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office. Earlier details reflected preliminary reports.
