N7186W

On July 17, 2025, about 2358 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N7186W, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near West Yellowstone, Montana. The pilot and two pilot rated passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot and two pilot rated passengers had planned to complete a series of flights together, while two of the three pilots were building night, cross country flight time.

According to preliminary ADS-B data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the airplane landed on runway 01 at Yellowstone Airport (WYS), West Yellowstone, Montana, at 2246, and departed from runway 19 at 2353. Once airborne, the airplane’s flightpath drifted left of the runway centerline, then remained on a parallel course to the runway’s extended centerline. About 3 miles southwest of WYS, the airplane initiated a left turn to the south. About 45 seconds later, the airplane turned left to a southeasterly heading. About 28 seconds later, a right turn was initiated and continued until the end of the flight track data. No altitude information was recorded within the ADS-B data.

According to the pilot of another airplane that landed at WYS near the time of the accident, he was inbound on an instrument flight plan and had been cleared to fly the ILS approach to runway 01 at WYS. When he was about 10 miles from WYS, he transmitted on the WYS common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF), his position and intention to fly a straight in approach to runway 01. As he completed his radio transmission, he heard a transmission from what he felt was the pilot of the accident airplane, however, it did not offer a clear description of its position. The pilot of the approaching airplane transmitted a second time and asked for position clarification from the accident pilot, who subsequently responded, “…I’m trying to get to…(garbled).” The approaching airplane’s pilot then saw aircraft lights in the distance below his airplane that were moving toward the southeast. The pilot of the approaching airplane transmitted a third time, “Are you on a left crosswind?” No further radio transmissions from the accident pilot were heard and the approaching airplane landed without further interaction with the accident pilot.

The approaching airplane’s pilot stated that at the time he flew the instrument approach into WYS, it was “very dark” and there was no landscape illumination from the moon or ground lights, other than the runway lights.

On July 18, 2025, at 1121, an Alert Notice (ALNOT) was issued following reports from family members, that the pilots could not be reached by phone, and confirmation from the airplane’s rental management company, that the airplane had not returned to its home airport. The wreckage was subsequently located by the Montana Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division, about 5.5 miles southeast of WYS, 410 ft west of the last ADS-B data point, at an elevation of about 7,580 ft msl.

Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted wooded terrain near the top of a geographical plateau. The debris field was about 200 ft in length, from the first identified point of contact (FIPC), and was oriented on a magnetic heading of 266°. The main wreckage was located about 160 ft from the FIPC. A portion of the main wreckage came to rest in a nose low attitude, and a portion came to rest inverted. The inverted portion of the main wreckage was oriented on a magnetic heading of 299°. All major components of the airframe, flight controls, engine and propeller assembly were observed throughout the debris field.

The wreckage was recovered to a secure facility for further examination.