This photo released by the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office shows a damaged helicopter after two helicopters collided and crashed into a farm field in Yamhill County, Ore. Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office via AP) (Image: Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office)
A student pilot from the UK is among three people killed following a collision between two helicopters in Oregon, United States. Emergency services were dispatched at approximately 2.15pm on Thursday to reports of an incident involving two helicopters several miles east of McMinnville Airport, a modest airfield situated south-west of Portland.
By Thursday evening, authorities were still engaged in their recovery operation, according to the local sheriff’s office.
The two helicopters collided before plummeting into a farm field. The incident is believed to have claimed the lives of all three people on board.
Two of those killed have been identified, including 38 year old Tyler Sturdevant, a pilot from Oregon, and 22 year old Maddie Aasbo, a flight instructor from Texas. The British student pilot has yet to be named, Yamhill County Sheriff Sam Elliott confirmed during a press conference.
Ms Aasbo and the British student pilot were travelling in one aircraft, while Sturdevant was aboard the other, the sheriff’s office confirmed.
The wreckage after the crash (Image: Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office)
Emergency personnel were called to the scene at around 2.15pm local time following reports of a collision several miles east of McMinnville Airport. Recovery efforts were still ongoing by Thursday evening.
A major road has been closed while investigations remain underway, authorities confirmed. Images released by the sheriff’s department reveal a green helicopter lying upturned in a field, while a red helicopter is seen badly damaged and scattered across the ground.
One of the aircraft belonged to the aviation school Jerry Trimble Helicopters, which is based at the airport.
“Our hearts and thoughts are with the individuals involved, their families, and everyone affected by this event,” the school said in a statement posted on social media.
The school, which provides everything from introductory flights for first-time passengers to advanced pilot training, confirmed it is working with authorities to secure the scene and establish the cause of the mid-air collision.
Last year, the school shared a photograph of Aasbo alongside another individual in front of a helicopter, describing her as a newly qualified private pilot progressing into instrument training. “These two are on to great things!” the post said.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the collision involved a Robinson R22, a two-seat aircraft, and an Airbus H125, which is capable of carrying up to six passengers depending on its configuration.
Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board have launched investigations. The Oregon Department of Transportation confirmed that Highway 233 has been closed one mile (1.6 kilometres) west of Dayton as a result of the crash, with no indication of when it might reopen.
Nearby roads were also shut off. The sheriff’s office appealed to members of the public to avoid the area.
McMinnville, situated approximately 35 miles (56 kilometres) southwest of Portland, is home to around 34,000 residents. The compact airport, which spans 650 acres (263 hectares) and boasts two paved runways, was still operational on Thursday, according to its official website.
It is partly surrounded by residential properties and lies close to the North American Aerospace Museum.
