Piper PA-23-250 accident near Condon, Montana, October 17, 2025
On October 17, 2025 at about 10:15 pm local time, a 1981 Piper PA-23-250, registered N2345R, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Condon, Montana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 2025 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Condon, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250, built 1981 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N2345R · registry record · serial 27-8154019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On October 17, 2025, about 1615 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-23-250, N2345R, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Condon, Montana. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to a report of preliminary air traffic control (ATC) services, at 1541, the pilot requested a climb to 14,000 ft mean sea level (msl) due to concerns about icing and was also advised of icing in the mid-teens by the controller. The pilot subsequently requested vectors toward lower terrain and then informed the controller that he was unable to maintain altitude before he declared an emergency, citing icing and an issue with the left engine. Salt Lake Center (ZLC) lost radar contact with the airplane at 1615. An airplane in the area attempted to relay communications to the accident airplane, but was unsuccessful. Another airplane advised ZLC that they were able to identify the accident airplane at 4,300 ft msl on ADS-B, northeast of Goat Mountain. Family members notified the Federal Aviation Administration when the flight did not arrive at its destination airport and an Alert Notice (ALNOT) was subsequently issued at 1629. Figure 1: ADS-B Flight track of the accident airplane’s final moments Search and Rescue aircraft were deployed from Malmstrom Air Force Base, along with members of the Missoula County Search and Rescue, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and the Powell County Sheriff's Office. The accident site was located on October 18, 2025 in mountainous terrain at an elevation of 5,286 ft msl near Youngs Creek within the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The airplane was recovered to a secure facility for further examination.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering
The aircraft
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Blue Wave Air LLC
The flight
- Departed from: BIL Billings MT
- Destination: 8S1 Polson MT
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 240° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft; a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from 7S0, 36 miles away
Weather report (METAR): K7S0 172215Z AUTO 24017KT 10SM FEW065 SCT075 BKN085 11/02 A2981 RMK A01=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR26LA020.