Three people were killed when two helicopters collided in midair Thursday afternoon in a community near Portland, Oregon, authorities said.
The collision involving an Airbus H125 and a Robinson R22 occurred near McMinnville Municipal Airport at about 2:15 p.m. local time, according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration provided to CBS News.
Only the pilot was aboard the Robinson R22, while the Airbus H125 was carrying two people, the FAA said.
The Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office later said in a statement that all three people aboard the aircraft were killed in the crash. The two people aboard the Robinson R22 were identified as 22-year-old flight instructor Maddie Aasbo of Texas and a British student pilot whose name was not immediately released.
The pilot of the Airbus was identified as 38-year-old Tyler Delane Sturdevant of Newberg, Oregon.
One of the two choppers belonged to Jerry Trimble Helicopters, an aviation school based at the McMinnville Municipal Airport, the school said in a statement.
“Our hearts and thoughts are with the individuals involved, their families and everyone affected by the event,” the school said.
The circumstances of the collision were unclear. The sheriff’s office said multiple agencies responded to the crash site in a field near a highway southeast of McMinnville. Surrounding roads were closed, officials said.
The FAA reported that the National Transportation Safety Board would lead the investigation into the crash. The NTSB also confirmed it was investigating.
The city of McMinnville is located about 35 miles southwest of Portland.
