Accident Overview
On July 17, 2025, about 2358 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, registration N7186W, sustained substantial damage in an accident near West Yellowstone, Montana. The pilot and two pilot-rated passengers were fatally injured. The flight was conducted as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Flight History
The pilot and two pilot-rated passengers had planned a series of flights together, with two of them building night cross-country flight time. According to preliminary ADS-B data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the airplane landed at Yellowstone Airport (WYS) in West Yellowstone on runway 01 at 2246. It departed from runway 19 at 2353. After takeoff, the flightpath drifted left of the runway centerline, then paralleled the extended centerline. About 3 miles southwest of WYS, the airplane initiated a left turn to the south. Approximately 45 seconds later, it turned left to a southeasterly heading. After another 28 seconds, a right turn began and continued until the end of the ADS-B data. No altitude information was recorded in the data.
Radio Communications and Witness Account
A pilot of another airplane inbound to WYS on an instrument flight plan reported that he was cleared to fly the ILS approach to runway 01 at WYS. When about 10 miles from the airport, he transmitted his position and intention on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF). He then heard a transmission from what he believed was the accident pilot, but the message did not clearly state a position. He transmitted again requesting position clarification, and the accident pilot responded, “…I’m trying to get to…(garbled).” The approaching pilot saw aircraft lights below his airplane moving toward the southeast. He transmitted a third time, “Are you on a left crosswind?” No further radio transmissions from the accident pilot were heard, and the approaching airplane landed without further interaction. The approaching pilot noted that conditions were “very dark,” with no lunar or ground illumination except the runway lights.
Search and Recovery
On July 18, 2025, at 1121, an Alert Notice (ALNOT) was issued after family members reported the pilots could not be reached and the rental management company confirmed the airplane had not returned to its home base. The wreckage was located by the Montana Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division approximately 5.5 miles southeast of WYS, 410 feet west of the last ADS-B data point, at an elevation of about 7,580 feet mean sea level.
Wreckage Examination
The accident site showed that the airplane impacted wooded terrain near the top of a geographical plateau. The debris field spanned about 200 feet from the first identified point of contact (FIPC) and was oriented on a magnetic heading of 266°. The main wreckage was about 160 feet from the FIPC. A portion of the main wreckage came to rest in a nose-low attitude, and a portion came to rest inverted, oriented on a magnetic heading of 299°. All major components of the airframe, flight controls, engine, and propeller assembly were observed throughout the debris field. The wreckage was recovered to a secure facility for further examination.