Horrific mid-air collision: Two helicopters crash in the US, casualties reported

A horrific aviation accident occurred in the US state of Oregon after two helicopters collided in mid-air. The collision, which took place in the open sky near the McMinnville Municipal Airport, resulted in the deaths of three people: a young flight instructor, an experienced local pilot, and a student pilot from Great Britain.

The incident occurred on October 29 at approximately 2:15 PM local time in Yamhill County. County Sheriff Sam Elliott and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provided official information regarding the details of the tragedy and the victims.

Details of the crash and victims

According to information released by the Sheriff's Office and CNN, there were a total of three people on board the helicopters at the time of the accident:

• Instructor and student from Britain: The crash claimed the lives of 22-year-old flight instructor Maddie Aasbo from Texas and her student, a Great Britain citizen who was training under her;

• Second helicopter pilot: 38-year-old experienced Oregon pilot Tyler Sturdavant, who was alone on board the second aircraft, also died at the scene;

• Crash site: After the collision, both aircraft crashed into a private agricultural field near the airport. Due to the force of the impact, the red helicopter disintegrated, while the green one flipped over.

"I heard a loud screeching of metal": What do eyewitnesses say?

Leo Rodriguez, a local resident working at a nearby family vineyard, witnessed the incident directly and immediately called 911 emergency services:

"Suddenly, I heard a loud boom and the sound of metal screeching. When I looked up, I saw two helicopters had collided in mid-air. My brain couldn't process what I was seeing for a few seconds. You don't see something like this every day. They spun in the air and crashed to the ground in an instant," the witness said.

Investigation and helicopter models

According to an initial statement by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the aircraft involved in the crash are as follows:

• Involved aircraft: A Robinson R-22, which was conducting a training flight for pilots, and an Airbus AS350 (H125) helicopter, which was undergoing a maintenance test, collided;

• Jerry Trimble Helicopters company: "Jerry Trimble Helicopters," a company engaged in pilot training and leasing helicopters for private flights, confirmed that one of its aircraft was involved in the incident and stated that it is cooperating fully with investigative authorities;

• Safety measures: A section of local Highway 233, approximately one and a half kilometers long, was completely closed by police to allow rescuers and aviation experts to conduct an investigation at the scene.

The Federal Aviation Administration and a special commission are currently investigating the reasons why the two aircraft collided in the same direction under clear weather conditions with good visibility.