Pilot in deadly Ferndale airplane crash identified
JACK UNDERHILL | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year AGO
KALISPELL GOVERNMENT, HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION REPORTER Jack Underhill covers Kalispell city government, housing and transportation for the Daily Inter Lake. His reporting focuses on how local policy decisions affect residents and the rapidly growing Flathead Valley. Underhill has reported on housing challenges, infrastructure issues and regional service providers across Montana. His work also includes accountability reporting on complex community issues and public institutions. Originally from Massachusetts, Underhill graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with a degree in Journalism before joining the Inter Lake. In his free time, Underhill enjoys mountain biking around the valley, skiing up on Big Mountain or exploring Glacier National Park. IMPACT: Jack’s work helps residents understand how growth, housing and infrastructure decisions affect the future of their community. | September 25, 2025 12:00 AM
Officials identified 63-year-old Bradley Young as the pilot killed in a plane crash at Ferndale Airfield in Bigfork on Sept. 19.
Young died from injuries sustained in the wreck, according to the Flathead County Coroner’s Office.
Young, who owns property in Creston, was the registered owner of the experimental, amateur-built Murphy Moose aircraft that crashed, according to Federal Aviation Administration records.
The Ferndale Airfield consists of a grass runway and is managed by the Flathead Municipal Airport Authority, which also operates Glacier Park International Airport.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident.
Young is the fourth reported victim of small plane crashes in the Flathead Valley this year. Ryan Airfield, a remote airstrip near West Glacier, was home to two deadly crashes over the summer. Another plane crashed during landing at the Kalispell City Airport in August, but everyone aboard walked away from the wreck.
Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 758-4407 and [email protected].
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