A tragic plane crash just south of West Yellowstone claimed the lives of three individuals last week, including Rodney Conover, 60, and his daughter Madison Conover, 23, both of Tennessee. The third victim was identified as Kurt Enoch Robey, 55, of Utah.
The small aircraft departed from West Yellowstone Airport shortly before midnight on Thursday, July 17, with all three victims on board. Concerns arose the following afternoon when West Yellowstone dispatch received a report of a potential crash at around 1:40 p.m., prompting an immediate search effort. The U.S. Department of Transportation Aero Division had earlier noted that the aircraft had become untraceable.
Thanks to the last known location shared via a smartwatch belonging to one of the passengers, search teams quickly narrowed down the area. At 2:13 p.m., the wreckage was located deep within a heavily wooded area near South Plateau Road. Gallatin County Search and Rescue arrived at the scene and confirmed that all three individuals had died in the crash.
The families of the victims have since been notified. The cause of the crash remains under investigation by both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer extended his gratitude to the many agencies involved in the coordinated search, recovery, and investigation efforts, including the Hebgen Basin Rural Fire District, U.S. Forest Service, FAA, and NTSB.
This devastating incident has left two families and their communities in mourning, as they remember and honor the lives lost in this heartbreaking tragedy.
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