A tragic plane crash in Montana claimed the lives of an Alabama pilot and his two daughters, leaving a community in mourning. The incident unfolded after the Powell County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) received a report of a “possible downed aircraft” on Friday afternoon, as shared in a Facebook update. The wreckage was discovered at 9 a.m. the following Saturday.

According to the PCSO, the aircraft was located in a remote, wooded area known as Youngs Creek within the Bob Marshall Wilderness, situated northeast of Seeley Lake. The pilot, along with the two other passengers, were pronounced dead at the scene.

The victims were identified as Mark Anderson and his daughters, Lainey and Ellie, who were reported missing prior to the discovery. The Monte Sano Baptist Church in Huntsville, Alabama, where the family was well-known, shared their concerns on social media. “Mark is an experienced pilot, and we’re holding onto hope that he made a safe landing in a remote area,” the church had posted, expressing optimism before the tragic outcome was confirmed. The family was en route to Polson, Montana, at the time of the crash.

The heartbreaking loss of Mark, Lainey, and Ellie Anderson has deeply affected both their local Alabama community and beyond, as they grapple with the sudden tragedy.

Lainey, left; Mark, center; and Ellie Anderson all died during a plane crash in the Montana wilderness on Oct. 17, 2025. (Facebook/Monte Sano Baptist Church)

“Mark is an experienced pilot, and we’re holding onto hope that he made a safe landing in a remote area,” the church posted before the trio was found, adding that they were headed to Polson, Montana. 

Mark was 62 years old, Lainey was 22 years old and Ellie was 17 years old, according to the New York Post. 

Sisters Lainey and Ellie Anderson pose in front of an airplane with their dog on an undisclosed date. Lainey was a flight instructor, Sanders Aviation said.  (Facebook/Monte Sano Baptist Church)

Sanders Aviation also took to Facebook to say that Lainey was one of its Certified Flight Instructors and “was on a family vacation in Montana.”

“Lainey was tragically killed when the twin engine Aztec her father was flying developed engine problems not far from their destination in the Bob Marshall Wilderness,” the post said, asking for prayers for her mother named Misty. 

Elk and deer feeding in open grassy areas of Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana at night un an unspecified date. (Dennis Anderson/Star Tribune)

PCSO said it turned over the plane crash investigation to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. Both agencies said via email to Fox News Digital that they are not responding to routine media inquiries due to the government shutdown.