Montana
Montana plane crash kills three: What we know
Three people have died following a plane crash in west central Montana, local officials said on Saturday.
The Context
The aircraft’s pilot, along with two other occupants, were pronounced dead at the scene, law enforcement reported.
What To Know
The Powell County Sheriff’s Office said it received reports of a possible downed aircraft at around 4:30 p.m. local time on Friday.
The plane was located at approximately 9 a.m. the following day by a volunteer aircraft with the Montana Department of Transportation Aeronautics division, the sheriff’s office said.
The scene was handed over to the United States Air Force, which also had helicopters operating nearby, said the sheriff’s office.
“The downed aircraft was located in a remote, wooded area in Youngs Creek in the Bob Marshall Wilderness—northeast of Seeley Lake,” law-enforcement said.
Members of the Powell County Coroner’s Office, Missoula County Search and Rescue, and the Seeley Lake Rural Fire Department, with support from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, reached the scene at approximately 4 p.m., according to law enforcement.
“The pilot and two other occupants were pronounced dead at the scene,” the sheriff’s office said.
Aircraft data captured by the Flightradar24 website, mapped by Newsweek below, showed the Piper PA-23 Aztec departing Billings airport in Montana, around 300 miles to the southeast, just over two hours before its signal was lost in the area of wilderness.
Newsweek contacted the Powell County Sheriff’s Office for confirmation via email form, outside of standard working hours on Sunday.
What People Are Saying
The Powell County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on social media, Saturday: “On Friday October 17th, 2025, at approximately 1630 hours, the Powell County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a possible downed aircraft. The last known position was in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Northern Powell County. Air resources were deployed from Malstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls and continued to search until around midnight.
“Around 9 a.m., a volunteer aircraft operating under the command of the Montana Department of Transportation Aeronautics division, working off a weak ELT [emergency locator transmitter] signal, located the aircraft.”
What Happens Next
The Powell County Sheriff’s Office said that the investigation had been turned over to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board, which would lead work to establish the cause of the crash.
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 25, 2025, results for each game:
Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 25 drawing
23-29-31-37-45, Lucky Ball: 16
Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from Dec. 25 drawing
03-06-08-12, Bonus: 13
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
The Beacon’s 2025 photographic landscape stretched from the stark expanses of the Blackfeet Nation, to the marbled halls of the state Capitol, across the vast waters of Flathead Lake, to the tops of Glacier’s highest peaks, and onto protester-filled streets. The year delivered its share of turbulence in both politics and nature. Montana’s dynamic range reinforces photography is as much an art of capturing moments as it is an exercise in distillation. Of 50,000+ presses of the shutter this year, only about 5,000 of the resultant images made the cut for toning, captioning and filing into the archives. Those 5,000 frames were further culled to less than 50 for the end-of-year gallery.
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 24, 2025, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
04-25-31-52-59, Powerball: 19, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
03-05-07-17-34, Lucky Ball: 09
Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
01-18-27-41-49, Star Ball: 09, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
05-25-26-31, Bonus: 12
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
03-15-19-29-35, Powerball: 21
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Montana Cash numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
07-09-14-15-16
Check Montana Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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