One killed, one injured in plane crash near Meeteetse

POWELL (WNE) — An Arizona woman died and a pilot was seriously injured in a Sunday morning plane crash southwest of Meeteetse. 

Authorities identified the deceased as 78-year-old Mary Lou Sanderson of Lake Havasu, Arizona, while the unidentified pilot was flown to a Billings hospital for medical treatment. 

What caused the private, two-seat airplane to crash is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board. 

The American Champion 8GCBC Scout crashed a little before 11 a.m. Sunday near Francs Peak, within the Shoshone National Forest. The incident was reported by a hunting party that heard the plane go down and then saw smoke rising from the area. 

The hunters, Steve Atencio and J.R. Larsen, told Cowboy State Daily that they hustled to the scene and helped move the pilot away from a growing fire. They reported that the man suffered severe burns and indicated he’d broken his back. 

The crash occurred almost exactly 11 years after a 17-year-old pilot became disoriented and crashed a Cessna 172 in the same general area. She suffered minor injuries and was helped to safety by two men who’d been scouting elk in the area.

This story was published on September 5, 2024.