Plane Crash in Bighorn National Forest Leaves One Dead, Three Injured
MISSOULA, Mont. — A plane crash in Bighorn National Forest on Monday afternoon resulted in one fatality and three serious injuries.
Sheridan County officials received reports at 4:57 p.m. of a possible injured or missing person in the Big Mountain area. Subsequent calls indicated an aircraft had gone down in the same location.
Responders from the Sheridan County Sheriff's Office, Sheridan Area Search and Rescue, and Wyoming Regional EMS arrived on the scene. First Flight from Greybull conducted an aerial search, confirming wreckage located west of Big Mountain.
An Incident Command Post was established at Steamboat Point parking lot. Medical teams were transported close to the crash site on the north end of Walker Prairie Trail.
A single-engine aircraft was discovered, with a 13-year-old girl pronounced dead at the scene. Three survivors—a 11-year-old boy, a 54-year-old man, and a 53-year-old woman—sustained serious injuries.
Patients were stabilized, and the Wyoming Air National Guard assisted with hoist rescues. One individual was transported to Sheridan Memorial Hospital, while two others were airlifted to hospitals in Billings.
The girl's body was turned over to the Sheridan County Coroner, who will release her name later. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the incident, with officials urging the public to avoid the area.
According to Sheridan County Sheriff Levi Dominguez, “The coordinated effort between all responders was exceptional… Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their family.”