NewsWPLG Local 10October 31, 2026Miami-Dade County
Two helicopters collide midair in Oregon, killing three people
Photo: WPLG Local 10
An Airbus AS350B3 helicopter on a maintenance flight and a Robinson R22 helicopter on an instructional flight collided midair and crashed into a farm field near McMinnville, Oregon, on Thursday, killing all three occupants.
Read the full story at WPLG Local 10Why It Matters
The crash resulted in three fatalities, involving an experienced local pilot, a flight instructor, and a student pilot, prompting an active federal investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Key Facts
- Two helicopters collided midair and crashed into a farm field a few miles east of the airport in McMinnville, Oregon.
- The collision occurred around 2 p.m. on a cloudy Thursday.
- All three people aboard the two aircraft were killed.
- The victims included 38-year-old pilot Tyler Sturdevant, 22-year-old flight instructor Maddie Aasbo, and an unreleased 31-year-old student pilot from the United Kingdom.
- The smaller Robinson R22 helicopter was on an instructional flight.
- The larger Airbus AS350B3 helicopter was on a maintenance flight.
- The National Transportation Safety Board sent a team to examine the wreckage.
- Tyler Sturdevant was a senior pilot at Precision and a Federal Aviation Administration pilot examiner.
- The two helicopter owners, Jerry Trimble Helicopters and Precision, stated they are cooperating with the investigation.
Who's Mentioned
locationOregon“State where the collision occurred”PersonLeo Rodriguez“Witness who saw the collision from a nearby winery”locationDallas“City where Associated Press writer Jamie Stengle is located”PersonJamie Stengle“Associated Press writer in Dallas”locationConnecticut“State where Hartford is located”OrganizationJerry Trimble Helicopters“Helicopter school and owner of one of the involved aircraft”OrganizationPrecision“Helicopter charter and maintenance company and owner of the other aircraft”locationUnited Kingdom“Country of origin of the student pilot”PersonMaddie Aasbo“22-year-old flight instructor from Texas killed in the crash”PersonTyler Sturdevant“38-year-old senior pilot from Oregon killed in the crash”locationTexas“Home state of flight instructor Maddie Aasbo”locationCoast Range“Mountain range near the crash site”PersonDave Collins“Associated Press writer in Hartford, Connecticut”locationWillamette Valley“Broad, flat valley in Oregon where the collision took place”locationMcMinnville“Oregon town near where the crash occurred”PersonSam Elliott“Yamhill County Sheriff who spoke at a news conference”locationPortland“City located about an hour's drive northeast of McMinnville”locationHartford“City where Associated Press writer Dave Collins is located”OrganizationNational Transportation Safety Board“Federal agency investigating the crash”OrganizationFederal Aviation Administration“Federal agency where Tyler Sturdevant worked as a pilot examiner”