Pilot dies in West Glacier airplane crash, says Flathead County sheriff
HANNAH SHIELDS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 9 months, 3 weeks AGO
The West Glacier area is viewed from the air in this file photo. (Daily Inter Lake)
RURAL GOVERNMENT REPORTER, REPORT FOR AMERICA Hannah Shields covers rural government and accountability reporting for the Daily Inter Lake and Northwest Montana weekly papers as part of the national Report for America program. Her reporting focuses on transparency, public spending and the impact of local government decisions on small communities. Shields has covered issues ranging from school district finances to development disputes and rural infrastructure projects. She regularly uses public records and investigative reporting to examine institutions that affect local residents. Her work helps bring greater oversight and visibility to rural government across Northwest Montana. IMPACT: Hannah’s work strengthens transparency and accountability in rural communities that often lack consistent watchdog coverage. | August 13, 2025 12:00 AM
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.
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