What happened
On October 17, 2025, at approximately 1615 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-23-250, registration N2345R, was involved in an accident near Condon, Montana. The flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal use.
Prior to the accident, at 1541, the pilot contacted air traffic control to request a climb to 14,000 feet MSL due to concerns regarding icing. The controller advised the pilot of icing conditions present in the mid-teens. The pilot then requested vectors toward lower terrain and subsequently declared an emergency, reporting that the aircraft was unable to maintain altitude due to icing and a left engine issue.
Salt Lake Center lost radar contact with the aircraft at 1615. While another aircraft in the vicinity attempted to relay communications to the crew without success, a third aircraft identified the plane on ADS-B at 4,300 feet MSL, northeast of Goat Mountain. Following the aircraft's failure to arrive at its destination, an Alert Notice was issued at 1629.
Search and rescue operations involving Malmstrom Air Force Base, Missoula County Search and Rescue, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and the Powell County Sheriff's Office located the wreckage on October 18, 2025. The aircraft was found in mountainous terrain at an elevation of 5,286 feet MSL near Youngs Creek within the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The accident resulted in 3 fatal injuries.