Montana Plane Crash: Smartwatch Helps Locate Downed Aircraft, All 3 On Board Dead

A smartwatch led search crews to the site of a Montana plane crash that killed three people after departing West Yellowstone Airport, officials said.

Montana Plane Crash: Smartwatch Leads Crews to Fatal Crash Site

A Montana plane crash claimed the lives of all three people on board after a small aircraft went down in a densely wooded area south of West Yellowstone, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office said Monday. Remarkably, location data from a victim’s smartwatch helped search-and-rescue crews locate the wreckage.

All Three On Board Killed in Montana Plane Crash

Authorities identified the victims as Rodney Conover, 60, and Madison Conover, 23, both of Tennessee, and Kurt Enoch Robey, 55, of Utah. They were aboard a small plane that departed West Yellowstone Airport just before midnight on Thursday.

When the aircraft failed to arrive at its destination, the U.S. Transportation Department’s Aero Division alerted local agencies that its location was unknown.

Smartwatch Played Key Role in Locating Crash Site

Rescue efforts took a critical turn after teams accessed location data from a smartwatch worn by one of the victims. This data pointed them to the crash site in remote forestland. Two planes deployed in the search helped locate the site from the air, but ground crews had to navigate through dense timber to reach it.

Piper Cherokee Variant Involved in Montana Plane Crash

The aircraft involved in the Montana plane crash was a Piper Cherokee variant — a small, single-engine plane. The FAA’s aviation safety database lists it as carrying two crew members and one passenger.

Ground teams confirmed all three people on board were deceased. Their remains were extracted and flown by helicopter to authorities, where they were turned over to a Gallatin County deputy coroner.

Investigation Underway Into Cause of Montana Plane Crash

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation into what caused the crash. Weather conditions in the area recently included wind gusts of up to 20 mph and cold overnight temperatures.

Sheriff Dan Springer extended his “deepest condolences” to the families of the victims.