Tragedy struck the Montana wilderness as an Alabama father and his two daughters were found dead following a plane crash. The wreck was discovered on Friday, claiming the lives of 62-year-old Mark Anderson and his daughters, Lainey, aged 22, and 17-year-old Ellie, according to a report from People.
The aircraft went missing from radar while navigating the remote and rugged terrain of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, an area notorious for its lack of cell signal, as noted by Powell County Sheriff Gavin Roselles. The incident was initially flagged as a ‘possible downed aircraft’ around 4:30 p.m., but it wasn’t until approximately 9:00 a.m. the following Saturday that the plane was located.
Authorities detailed that the crash site was in a secluded, forested area known as Youngs Creek, situated northeast of Seeley Lake. This challenging environment likely contributed to the delay in the search and recovery efforts.
Lainey Anderson, one of the victims, was a certified flight instructor affiliated with Sanders Aviation. The organization revealed in a Facebook post that the twin-engine Aztec aircraft, piloted by Mark Anderson, had encountered engine difficulties shortly before the tragic incident. This revelation adds another layer to the unfolding investigation into the crash’s causes.
‘The downed aircraft was located in a remote, wooded area in Youngs Creek in the Bob Marshall Wilderness- North East of Seeley Lake,’ according to the release.
Sanders Aviation, where Lainey worked as a certified flight instructor, claimed in a Facebook post that the twin engine Aztec Mark had been flying developed engine problems not far from the crash site.
The Monte Sano Baptist Church asked the community for prayers for the Andersons on Saturday before authorities identified any victims involved in the crash.
‘Please pray for the safe return of the Anderson family from Huntsville Alabama,’ the Facebook post said.
Mark Anderson, 62, and his daughters, Lainey (L), 22, and Ellie (R), 17, have been found dead following a small plane crash on Friday
The ‘possible downed aircraft’ was reported at around 4.30pm before their plane was discovered at around 9am on Saturday morning
The Monte Sano Baptist Church asked the community for prayers for the Andersons on Saturday before authorities identified any victims involved in the crash
‘Mark, Lainey, and Ellie Anderson (father and daughters) went missing yesterday while flying to Polson, MT. Mark is an experienced pilot, and we’re holding onto hope that he made a safe landing in a remote area. Weather complicated and delayed rescue efforts, but search teams are back out this morning.’
The post was later updated to announce that their plane had been found, and added: ‘No details have been released as the search team reaches their location. We know that it is a very remote area and will take time. Our prayer is for the complete safety of Mark Lainey and Ellie as well as their dog Stella.’
Their family was described by a friend as ‘such a bright light,’ and Mark was said to have been a ‘special person.’
Another friend said in a post on Facebook that Mark was ‘gentle and soft-spoken,’ as well as ‘incredibly accomplished in all aspects of his life.’
‘To say that Mark will be missed is a tremendous understatement. He lived his life with purpose and commitment, accomplishing all that he set out to do, and was a friend and example to all who knew him,’ the post added.
‘I cannot imagine what his wife Misty is experiencing right now, to lose her entire family at once, and I ask your prayers for her in this terribly tragic time.
‘Mark, I am so thankful for the opportunity to spend time with you. I’ll miss your smile, at least for now. Blue skies always, Brother. I hear the bell: You have your wings.’
Sanders Aviation described Lainey as an ‘exceptional and skilled aviator’ and a ‘beloved flight instructor’ at their Jasper Campus.
A family friend said: ‘Their Daddy…selfless, admirable & hilarious. The type of people you spend time with & leave feeling refreshed…the world melts away when you’re with them’
The Anderson family was described by a friend as ‘such a bright light,’ and Mark was said to have been a ‘special person’
Sanders Aviation described Lainey as an ‘exceptional and skilled aviator’ and a ‘beloved flight instructor’ at their Jasper Campus
Lainey, a member of Alpha Chi Omega Women’s Fraternity while she attended Auburn University, was described by Alpha Chi Omega Epsilon Zeta as an ‘unimaginable loss.’
‘We will always remember Lainey for her bubbly spirit, the light she carried, and the kindness and joy she brought to everyone who knew her. May her spirit continue to shine through the love she shared and the lives she touched,’ the post on Instagram said.
A friend of Ellie’s said on Instagram that the high school senior was ‘a light to all in every room she walked into.’
‘[She] never failed to put a smile on my face. She shined the lords light through her each and everyday,’ the post said.
‘The love I have for Ellie is unexplainable and something I’ll never be able to put into words. Lainey and Mark were just as great. They never failed to make me laugh. They always showed strength in everything they did.’
Another friend said Ellie as ‘family’ and her ‘dearest friend,’ and wrote: ‘I’ve experienced a lot of loss but I never imagined that I would be experiencing something as painful as this.’
‘Our energies were vibrant together and she was truly my closest friend who was simply just like family. To my dearest friend I love you more than you’ll ever know and I miss you so very much and I honestly don’t know how I’m gonna navigate through senior year and life without you.’
Element Dance Company, where Ellie danced, wrote: ‘The entire Anderson family is in our every thought and prayer. Praying for strength for everyone during this unimaginable time.’
A family friend described the two young women as ‘pure as they come’ and ‘the salt of the earth, the most affectionate old souls’
A friend of Ellie’s said on Instagram that the high school senior was ‘a light to all in every room she walked into’
Element Dance Company, where Ellie danced, wrote: ‘The entire Anderson family is in our every thought and prayer. Praying for strength for everyone during this unimaginable time’
‘We will all take Ellie’s quote: “Let all that you do be done in love” into every second of every day moving forward. There is so much more to say and we will say it and share it forever and ever and over and over but right now it’s a “moment that the words don’t reach”,’ the post said.
A family friend described the two young women as ‘pure as they come’ and ‘the salt of the earth, the most affectionate old souls.’
‘Their Daddy…selfless, admirable and hilarious. The type of people you spend time with & leave feeling refreshed…the world melts away when you’re with them. No words will be adequate enough to express my love for them. I will hold onto the precious memories as long as I live. I pray to be a little more like Mark, Lainey & Ellie. Life will never be the same.’
