OREGON HELICOPTER COLLISION KILLS THREE INCLUDING BRITISH STUDENT PILOT

Three people, including a British student pilot, died after two helicopters collided near McMinnville Airport in Oregon on Thursday, according to the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office. The aircraft crashed into a farm field several miles east of the airport, southwest of Portland. Emergency crews responded at about 2.15pm local time, the sheriff’s office said. Authorities named the other two people as Tyler Sturdevant, a pilot from Oregon, and Maddie Aasbo, a flight instructor from Texas. Sheriff Sam Elliott said officials had not released the British student’s name.

The sheriff’s office said Aasbo and the British student were aboard one helicopter, while Sturdevant was aboard the other. Photographs released by the sheriff’s department showed a green helicopter upside down in the field and a red helicopter broken apart nearby. One of the aircraft came from Jerry Trimble Helicopters, an aviation school based at McMinnville Airport. The school offers introductory flights and advanced training. Last year, the school posted a photograph of Aasbo and described her as a new private pilot entering instrument training.

The sheriff’s office said recovery work was still under way on Thursday evening. Authorities closed a major road while the investigation continued. Jerry Trimble Helicopters said it was cooperating with authorities to secure the site and determine the cause of the collision. “Our hearts and thoughts are with the individuals involved, their families, and everyone affected by this event,” the school said in a social media statement.