Powell County, MT — A heartbreaking tragedy has shaken two communities after Mark Anderson, an Alabama pilot, and his young daughters, Lainey and Ellie, were found dead following a plane crash in the rugged Bob Marshall Wilderness of Montana.
According to the Powell County Sheriff’s Office, the family had been reported missing while en route from Alabama to Montana. Authorities confirmed that a downed aircraft was reported around 4:30 p.m. local time on Friday, October 17, prompting an urgent search effort.
Air resources were dispatched from Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, with crews scouring the remote terrain until around midnight. On Saturday morning, search teams located the wreckage deep within the wilderness. Sadly, all three occupants were confirmed deceased at the scene.
Officials described the crash site as “extremely difficult to access,” citing mountainous terrain and dense forest conditions that hampered recovery efforts. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the cause of the accident.
Friends and neighbors in the Andersons’ Alabama hometown are devastated by the news. Mark, described as a devoted father, skilled pilot, and kind-hearted neighbor, often spoke of his love for flying and for spending time exploring the outdoors with his daughters.
“Lainey and Ellie were his world,” a family friend shared through tears. “They were inseparable — always smiling, always full of life. This is an unimaginable loss for everyone who knew them.”
The tragedy has sparked an outpouring of grief across both Alabama and Montana, as communities come together to support the Anderson family and honor the memory of a father and his two daughters taken far too soon.
A memorial service is expected to be planned in their hometown in the coming days.
Mark, Lainey, and Ellie Anderson will be remembered for their love, their laughter, and the bond that kept them together to the very end.
May they rest in eternal peace.