Pilot dies in West Glacier airplane crash, says Flathead County sheriff
HANNAH SHIELDS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 months, 2 weeks AGO
An airplane crash at Ryan Field near West Glacier resulted in one death Tuesday afternoon, said Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino.
The pilot of the plane was declared dead on scene, and there were no other reported passengers in the aircraft, Heino said. The sheriff could offer few details about the circumstances of the crash, but said the plane was found upside down at the end of the runway.
Calls reporting the crash came in about 3 p.m., Aug. 12. The Hungry Horse Fire Department, Coram West Glacier Fire Department and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, Coroner’s Office and Office of Emergency Services all responded, Heino said.
The fatal crash occurred a day after a small plane crashed and was consumed by flames at Kalispell City Airport. Federal authorities reported that the plane experienced engine trouble prior to crashing at about 2:08 p.m., Aug. 11.
All four people aboard that plane survived with only minor injuries reported.
Two Washington men died in a plane crash earlier this summer at Ryan Field on July 26. Dwight Steffanson, 69, from College Place, Washington and Thomas Gladden, 68, from Otis Orchards, Washington were killed after their single-engine plane ran off the runway.
The cause of that crash remains under investigation by federal authorities, and a preliminary report is expected within 30 days of the accident.
ARTICLES BY HANNAH SHIELDS
Contractors sought to repair flood-damaged bridges in Lincoln County
The process for repairing and replacing bridges washed out by flooding in Lincoln County was expected to get underway this week, as federal, state and local agencies wrap up damage assessments.
New Star Meadows Fire District gets greenlight
Looking for a solution, the community, along with surrounding neighbors who joined the effort, petitioned Flathead County to create the Star Meadows Fire District, which was approved by county commissioners Dec. 18.
A performance to remember: Local dancers share the stage with San Diego Ballet
This is the fourth year the San Diego Ballet has visited Northwest Montana to perform the timeless Christmas classic, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker,” with live music from the Glacier Symphony Orchestra.