3 killed in helicopter collision that shut down part of an Oregon highway

Two helicopters collided and crashed into a farm field Thursday near a small airport southwest of Portland, Oregon, killing all three people on board and forcing the closure of a key highway, authorities said.

The crash killed 38-year-old Tyler Sturdevant, a pilot from Oregon, 22-year-old Maddie Aasbo, a flight instructor from Texas, and a student pilot from the United Kingdom, whose name has not been released, Yamhill County Sheriff Sam Elliott said during a news conference.

Aasbo and the U.K. student pilot were on one aircraft, while Sturdevant was on the other, according to the sheriff’s office.

Emergency crews responded around 2:15 p.m. following reports of a crash a few miles east of the McMinnville Airport, according to the sheriff’s office. By Thursday evening, officials were still working on their recovery efforts.

Photos posted by the sheriff’s department show a green helicopter smashed upside down in a field, while a red helicopter lies crumpled and in pieces.

One of the aircraft came from the aviation school Jerry Trimble Helicopters, which is located 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…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business