Jerry Trimble Helicopters Aircraft Involved in Deadly Mid-Air Collision
Three people died when two helicopters struck each other near McMinnville Municipal Airport on Thursday afternoon.
By Thomas Bennett ·
Jerry Trimble Helicopters, a flight training company based in Oregon, confirmed that one of its aircraft was involved in a mid-air collision that killed three people. The crash occurred on Thursday afternoon near McMinnville Municipal Airport, according to officials.
The National Transportation Safety Board identified the aircraft as an Airbus Helicopters AS350B2 and a Robinson R22. The Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office reported the incident at approximately 2:15 p.m. near Lafayette Highway and Southeast Stringtown Road, southeast of McMinnville.
Sheriff Sam Elliott identified two of the victims during a news conference that evening. Maddie Aasbo, a 22-year-old flight instructor from Texas, and an unnamed student pilot from the United Kingdom were in the Robinson helicopter. The third victim was Tyler Sturdevant, 38, of Newberg, who was in the Airbus helicopter.
Elliott stated that officials had not yet released the student pilot’s name because they were still notifying the family. A witness standing on the roof of a nearby barn observed the helicopters collide before hitting the ground just outside the airport perimeter. The witness called 911 immediately after the impact.
The collision closed local roads while emergency crews responded to the scene. The NTSB is investigating the cause of the crash. The incident marks the first fatal mid-air collision involving a training helicopter and a private aircraft in the McMinnville area this year.
Source: KVLY-TV
