NEWBERG, Ore. — The Newberg flagpole island at the intersection of OR 99W and River St filled with community members remembering, honoring, and mourning Tyler Sturdevant, 38, of Newberg, who died in a helicopter collision last week.
The procession passed through Newberg just after 11 a.m., and was scheduled to travel west through Newberg and Dundee and continue past the McMinnville Municipal Airport before arriving at Macy & Son Funeral Home in McMinnville, according to a graphic posted to the Instagram account of Precision, a McMinnville-based aviation company.
Community-supported journalism
This article was made possible by the generous support of Newsberg readers and advertisers. Independent local news takes real resources to produce. If Newsberg is valuable to you, please consider joining us — for as little as $1 a month, or with a one-time gift in any amount.
The graphic listed the Newberg Flag Pole and the Precision Helicopters campus on Three Mile Lane as the main areas of congregation and invited the public to join along the route.
In a separate post, Precision described Sturdevant as a pilot and instructor, among other roles. “Precision and Tyler’s family are absolutely overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, prayers, and support we have all received,” the company said.
Sturdevant was piloting an Airbus AS350B3 when it collided with a Robinson R22 from the Jerry Trimble Helicopters fleet around 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, east of the airport, according to News-Register reporting. Flight instructor Maddie Aasbo, 22, of Texas, and student pilot Christopher Joughin, 31, of the United Kingdom, were aboard the Robinson. All three people died.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. NTSB air safety investigator Grant Mills said at an Oct. 30 press conference that a preliminary report is expected in about 30 days.
Gallery: Nov. 4 Tyler Sturdevant Procession at the Newberg Flagpole
Click on the photo to enlarge and read caption
