MCMINNVILLE Ore. (KPTV) – Three people are dead after two helicopters crashed near the McMinnville Municipal Airport Thursday afternoon, officials say.
According to TripCheck, both lanes of Highway 233 are currently closed and will likely remain closed for several hours.
The Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office said the crash was reported around 2:15 p.m. near Southeast Highway 154 (Lafayette Highway) and Southeast Stringtown Road.
The two helicopters involved in the accident were an Airbus Helicopters AS350B2 and a Robinson R22 helicopter, according to the NTSB.
At a news conference Thursday evening, Yamhill County Sheriff Sam Elliott said a flight instructor from Texas, identified as Maddie Aasbo, 22, and a student pilot from the United Kingdom were inside the Robinson helicopter.
The student pilot’s name has not been released as authorities are still working to notify their family.
The third victim, 38-year-old Tyler Sturdevant of Newberg, was in the Airbus at the time of the crash, according to the sheriff.
Leo Rodriquez witnessed the moment the two planes impacted while he was doing work on the roof of his barn. He describes it as an explosion in the open air.
“I heard the sound of the helicopter, I leaned down to do something, then boom, I looked up and everything went wrong,” Rodriquez said. “There was a larger one (helicopter) still intact, the tail of that one got hit and then it turned and it propelled itself down and the other one fell straight down.”
Jerry Trimble Helicopters, a flight school and private charter company, confirmed on social media that one of their planes was involved in the accident.
The NTSB and FAA are investigating the cause of the accident.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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