3 dead after 2 helicopters collide midair near Oregon airport, sheriff says
Three people were killed in a midair collision between two helicopters near McMinnville, Oregon. The NTSB and FAA are currently investigating the crash, which involved an instructional flight and a maintenance flight.
Why it matters
This incident underscores the inherent risks in aviation and triggers federal safety investigations to prevent future midair collisions.
Investigators were combing through debris scattered across a field in northwest Oregon Thursday after two helicopters collided midair, killing three people and forcing the closure of a nearby highway, officials said. Texas flight instructor Maddie Aasbo, 22, and Oregon pilot Tyler Sturdevant, 38, died in the crash as well as a student pilot from the United Kingdom, Yamhill County Sheriff Sam Elliott said during a news conference. Aasbo was in one helicopter with the student pilot and Sturdevant was the sole occupant of the other, the sheriff said. The aircraft crashed to the ground in a private farm field near McMinnville Municipal Airport, officials said, with a red helicopter left crumpled in pieces and a green helicopter lying upside down. McMinnville is about 40 miles southwest of Portland.
Headlinne story · 3 newsrooms
Three People Die Following Midair Collision Near Oregon Airport
What every outlet reported, where they differ, and how each framed it →
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in