Tragedy Over Oregon: 3 Dead After Two Helicopters Collide Mid-Air Near Airport

McMINNVILLE, Oregon — A devastating aviation disaster unfolded in northwest Oregon on Thursday afternoon, October 29, 2026, when two helicopters collided mid-air near the McMinnville Municipal Airport. The tragic crash claimed the lives of all three individuals aboard both aircraft.

The collision occurred around 2:15 p.m. local time over agricultural fields roughly 35 miles southwest of Portland.

Eyewitnesses in the surrounding rural area described hearing a loud mechanical crunch and a sharp boom followed by visible debris falling from the sky.

One helicopter—a light, two-seat Robinson R22 associated with local flight instruction school Jerry Trimble Helicopters—and a larger Airbus H125 crashed into a private agricultural field near Highway 233.

Both aircraft sustained massive structural damage upon impact. Emergency responders from the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office, local fire departments, and medical units rushed to the scene shortly after receiving initial 911 calls.

Local authorities confirmed that all three occupants across both aircraft died in the crash. The victims aboard the Robinson R22 were identified as 22-year-old flight instructor Maddie Aasbo from Texas and a student pilot from the United Kingdom who was undergoing instruction. The sole occupant of the Airbus H125, 38-year-old pilot Tyler Delane Sturdevant from Newberg, Oregon, also perished in the incident.

In an official statement, Jerry Trimble Helicopters expressed deep sorrow: "Our hearts and thoughts are with the individuals involved, their families, and everyone affected by this event."

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) immediately dispatched investigators to the crash site to lead the inquiry into the exact cause of the mid-air collision. Investigators are analyzing wreckage layout, flight paths, weather conditions, and radio communication records.

To facilitate emergency response efforts and the on-site investigation, the Oregon Department of Transportation closed a section of Highway 233 and surrounding local roadways, asking the public to avoid the area.