Alabama Pilot and His 2 Daughters Found Dead After Plane Crash in Montana

An Alabama father and his two young daughters were found dead after their small plane went down in Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness.

The Powell County Sheriff’s Office reported that a downed aircraft was spotted around 4:30 p.m. local time on Friday, Oct. 17. Search crews from Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls scoured the area until about midnight before suspending operations overnight.

The following morning, Oct. 18, a volunteer aircraft working with the Montana Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division located the wreckage in northern Powell County. The Air Force, which had helicopters assisting in the search, took over the scene, where the pilot and two passengers were pronounced dead.

Authorities have turned the investigation over to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board, which will lead efforts to determine what caused the crash.

Before officials confirmed the fatalities, Monte Sano Baptist Church in Huntsville, Alabama, had asked its congregation to pray for pilot Mark Anderson and his daughters, Lainey and Ellie, after they disappeared while flying to Polson, Montana.

“Mark, Lainey, and Ellie Anderson (father and daughters) went missing yesterday while flying to Polson,” the church wrote in a Facebook post. “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.”

Later that day, Alabama news outlets WSFA 12 and WBRC 6 confirmed that the victims were the Anderson family.

The church later shared that the plane had been located.

“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,” the post continued. “Pray for their safety, that they are unharmed, for Misty (wife and mother), their family and friends as we all wait. We would also like to pray for the search team as they continue their rescue. We trust in God’s protection and are asking for a miracle.”