Plane Crash Claims Life Near Lincoln Airport
LINCOLN, Mont. — At least one person died in a plane crash just northeast of the Lincoln Airport on Friday evening, according to Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton.
A resident reported the single-engine aircraft crash to 911 dispatch at 9:15 p.m., with first responders arriving on scene within six minutes. Upon arrival, authorities found the aircraft fully engulfed in flames.
The sheriff's office is collaborating with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to determine the identity of the pilot, who has not yet been named. While the NTSB has identified the aircraft's owner, that information is being withheld at this time.
Sheriff Dutton stated that the runway lights were activated by the pilot prior to the crash. The body has been transferred to the Montana State Crime Lab for a determination of the cause of death.
Dutton also indicated that the pilot was reportedly flying to Lincoln to visit family.
The investigation remains ongoing.