Alabama is mourning the loss of a Huntsville family after a tragic plane crash in Montana claimed the lives of a father and his two daughters.
According to the Powell County Sheriff’s Office, the agency received a report of a possible downed aircraft at approximately 4:30 p.m. Friday in the Bob Marshall Wilderness of northern Powell County.
Air resources from Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls searched the remote area through the night, and a volunteer aircraft under the Montana Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division located the plane the following morning using a weak ELT signal.
The wreckage was found in a heavily wooded area in Youngs Creek northeast of Seeley Lake. All three occupants were pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities identified the victims as Mark Anderson, the pilot, and his daughters Lainey and Ellie Anderson, all from Huntsville.
The investigation into the cause of the crash has been turned over to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board, which will lead efforts to determine what caused the twin-engine aircraft to go down.
Lainey Anderson was a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI/II) with Sanders Aviation in Jasper.
In a statement posted to social media, the flight school called Lainey “an exceptional and skilled aviator” who was “a beloved flight instructor at our Jasper Campus.”
The school shared that Lainey had graduated from Auburn University’s Professional Flight program and was a member of Alpha Chi Omega.
“It is with great sadness and broken hearts that we share the passing of our Certified Flight Instructor Lainey Anderson while she was on a family vacation in Montana,” the statement read. “She was dedicated to her craft and students. Please pray for her mother, Misty, and all of her family and friends.”
The family’s home church, Monte Sano Baptist Church in Huntsville, had shared updates during the search and later expressed heartbreak upon confirmation of the crash. In a public message, church leaders asked for continued prayers for Misty Anderson and the entire family.
The loss has prompted an outpouring of condolences from Alabama’s aviation and faith communities. Sanders Aviation remembered Lainey as “an exceptional and skilled aviator” and “a beloved flight instructor … dedicated to her craft and students,” while Monte Sano Baptist Church and local outlets shared calls for prayer and tributes to the family.
A prayer vigil will be held on Wednesday, October 22, at 6:30 p.m. at Milton Frank Stadium in Huntsville.
No additional details about the cause of the crash have been released. Federal investigators are expected to issue a preliminary report in the coming weeks.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
