3 Killed in Midair Collision Between Two Helicopters Near Oregon Airport

Three people died after two helicopters collided midair near McMinnville Municipal Airport in northwest Oregon on Thursday afternoon, October 29, 2026. The crash has shocked the general aviation community and prompted a federal investigation.

The aircraft involved were a 1995 Robinson R22 and a 2018 Airbus H125. They collided at approximately 2:15 p.m. local time near the intersection of Lafayette Highway and Southeast Stringtown Road, southeast of McMinnville and about 35 miles southwest of Portland. Both helicopters came down in a private farm field off airport property.

The Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office identified the Robinson R22’s two occupants as 22-year-old flight instructor Maddie Aasbo of Texas and a British student pilot. The sole occupant of the Airbus H125, 38-year-old Tyler Delane Sturdevant of Newberg, Oregon, also died.

One of the helicopters was operated by Jerry Trimble Helicopters, a flight training and rental company based at McMinnville Municipal Airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating, with the NTSB leading the inquiry. The cause of the collision remains unknown. McMinnville Municipal Airport remained open after the accident.

Source: ABC News — October 29, 2026