Pilot reported engine problems before plane crash that killed him and his two daughters, family says

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF/Gray News) - New details have emerged regarding the tragic plane crash that took the lives of an Alabama pilot and his two daughters in Montana.

According to a statement from the family, Mark Anderson reported engine trouble shortly before the plane’s signal was lost.

“Mark was an incredible pilot and loved his most cherished passengers more than anything,” the family said. “This is an unimaginable loss for Misty (Mark’s wife and the girls’ mom) and we would ask that our privacy be respected as we try to begin to process this tragedy.”

The crashed plane was reported on Friday around 4:30 p.m. in a very remote area of Bob Marshall Wilderness.

First responders made their way to the area, and the sheriff announced Saturday night that there were no survivors. The three people on that plane were Mark Anderson and his two daughters, Lainey and Ellie.

The family says they find peace in knowing heaven gained three beautiful angels, full of light and having lived their lives to the absolute fullest.

“Mark, Lainey and Ellie have left the world a better place just being in it,” the family said.

Currently, there are no further details available about the cause of the crash.