3 dead in midair crash of 2 helicopters near Oregon airport: Sheriff
Three people were killed after two helicopters collided in midair near an Oregon airport on Thursday, according to local authorities.
The incident involved a 1995 Robinson R22 helicopter and a 2018 Airbus AS350B3 helicopter and occurred at approximately 2:10 p.m. local time Thursday near McMinnville, about 40 miles southwest of Portland, according to the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff said flight instructor Maddie Aasbo, 22, of Texas, and a student pilot, Christopher Joughin, 31, of the U.K. were aboard the Robinson R22. The name of the student pilot was not initially released as authorities worked with the consulate and the FBI to notify family, the sheriff said.
The sole occupant of the Airbus AS350B3 was identified as Tyler Delane Sturdevant, 38, of Newberg, Oregon.
The sheriff's office said witnesses reported the collision near the intersection of Highway 33 and Cruickshank Road southeast of McMinnville.
At a press briefing Friday evening, Yamhill County Sheriff Sam Elliott said it remained an "active scene" more than 24 hours after the crash and called it a "tragedy for our small community."
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the crash.
Speaking at the press briefing, NTSB air safety investigator Grant Mills said the two helicopters made contact about a mile east of the McMinnville Airport. Witnesses said the helicopters were about 500 off the ground when they collided.
Mills said the Airbus, with only the pilot aboard, had been conducting a post-maintenance check flight, and the Robinson helicopter was an instructional flight.
When first responders arrived, they saw both aircraft crashed in a field near the highway.
McMinnville Airport does not have air traffic controllers, so pilots are expected to "self report" their positions -- when they're arriving and departing -- on a frequency where they can hear each other, Mills said.
On Saturday, investigators are set to interview witnesses and the owners of the aircraft, Mills said.
ABC News' Chris Barry and Amanda Morris contributed to this report.
