McMinnville Helicopter Crash: Maddie Aasbo, Tyler Delane Sturdevant and Third Victim Killed in Mid-Air Collision

Three people, including flight instructor Maddie Aasbo and pilot Tyler Delane Sturdevant, died in a helicopter collision near McMinnville, Oregon, on October 29, 2026. The FAA and NTSB are investigating.

Fatal Helicopter Collision Near McMinnville, Oregon

The aviation community is mourning after a mid-air collision involving two helicopters near McMinnville, Oregon, claimed three lives on Thursday, October 29, 2026.

According to the supplied account, the crash occurred at approximately 2:10 p.m. near Southeast Amity-Dayton Highway (Highway 233) and Southeast Cruickshank Road in Yamhill County. Both aircraft came down in an agricultural field, and all three occupants were pronounced dead at the scene.

The two identified victims were Maddie Aasbo, 22, of Texas, and Tyler Delane Sturdevant, 38, of Newberg, Oregon. The third victim was described as a student pilot from the United Kingdom whose name had not been released pending family notification.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the collision. The official cause has not yet been established.

Remembering Maddie Aasbo, 22

Maddie Aasbo was identified as a certified flight instructor from Texas. She was aboard a Robinson R22 helicopter with the student pilot when the collision occurred.

Her work in flight instruction connected her with people learning to navigate the skies. Her death is a loss to those who knew her personally and to the aviation community in which she worked.

Remembering Tyler Delane Sturdevant, 38

Tyler Delane Sturdevant, of Newberg, Oregon, was the sole occupant of a 2018 Airbus AS350B3 helicopter. His death has brought grief to his family, friends, and others who knew him.

Further personal and family details have not been included because they were not established in the supplied information.

Third Victim: Student Pilot from the United Kingdom

The third person killed was a student pilot from the United Kingdom who was receiving instruction aboard the Robinson R22 with Aasbo. Authorities had not released the student’s name while next of kin notification was pending.

The loss has affected not only the victims’ families but also the wider flight-training community. The student’s identity and personal background should be added only after an official release or family confirmation.

Aircraft Involved and Crash Investigation

The Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office identified the aircraft as a 1995 Robinson R22 and a 2018 Airbus AS350B3. Its release stated that two people were aboard the Robinson and one was aboard the Airbus. All three occupants died.

McMinnville Helicopter Crash: Key Details

Funeral and Memorial Arrangements

Funeral and memorial arrangements for Maddie Aasbo, Tyler Delane Sturdevant, and the student pilot had not been confirmed in the information reviewed. Updates should come from their families or authorised representatives.

Disclaimer

This article is based on the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office release and published reporting about the October 29, 2026, helicopter collision. The deaths and identities of Aasbo and Sturdevant, along with the student pilot’s involvement, were confirmed by authorities. The student’s name remained withheld pending family notification. The cause of the collision is still under investigation, and no conclusion should be drawn until investigators publish their findings.