From KATU · KATU Staff · · 1m 10s
Helicopter crash near McMinnville Airport kills three
Two helicopters collide midair near McMinnville Airport, killing all three occupants.
In brief
Two helicopters collide midair near McMinnville Airport, killing all three occupants. Three people died in a midair helicopter collision near McMinnville Municipal Airport on Thursday, October 29, 2026. Originally reported by KATU.
Helicopter collision near McMinnville Airport
Three people died when two helicopters collided midair near McMinnville Municipal Airport on Thursday afternoon.
Wreckage found in private field
Debris from both aircraft was found in a privately owned farm field about 40 miles southwest of Portland.
Precision Helicopters aircraft involved
One helicopter belonged to Precision Helicopters, a charter company based in McMinnville.
Robinson R22 aircraft involved
The other aircraft was a smaller Robinson R22 helicopter.
Passengers identified
Yamhill County Sheriff Sam Elliott identified the people aboard the Robinson as 22-year-old flight instructor Maddie Aasbo from Texas and a 31-year-old student pilot from the United Kingdom.
Other helicopter pilot
The other helicopter was flown by 38-year-old Tyler Sturdevant from Newberg.
Cause of collision unknown
The cause of the collision remains unknown, with officials working to determine the reason.
The key point
Three people died in a midair helicopter collision near McMinnville Municipal Airport on Thursday, October 29, 2026.
