Three people died after two helicopters collided in midair near an airport in Oregon

Three people died after two helicopters collided in midair on Thursday near McMinnville Municipal Airport in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. The accident occurred at around 2:15 p.m. on private farmland, and investigators are working to determine how the collision happened.

The victims were Maddie Aasbo, a 22-year-old flight instructor from Texas, Tyler Sturdevant, a 38-year-old pilot from Oregon, and a student pilot from the United Kingdom. Aasbo was in one helicopter with the student, while Sturdevant was the only person aboard the other aircraft.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the aircraft involved were a Robinson R-22, used for training, and an Airbus AS350, which was on a maintenance flight. One of the helicopters was operated by Jerry Trimble Helicopters, which said it would cooperate with authorities.

Witness Leo Rodriguez said he heard a loud bang and saw the helicopters collide before they crashed. A roughly 1.6-kilometer section of Highway 233 was closed. The investigation is being coordinated by the NTSB and FAA, and authorities urged people to avoid the area.