YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, MT — UPDATED — Three people, including two Middle Tennessee residents, tragically died in a plane crash near Yellowstone National Park shortly after taking off from West Yellowstone Airport (WYS) in Montana. The aircraft reportedly departed the airport approximately six minutes before midnight on July 17.

Search and rescue teams scoured the heavily wooded area after the disappearance of the single-engine aircraft, confirmed to be a 1962 Piper PA-28-180.

Although the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is still investigating the crash, reports indicate the victims were located after investigators tracked a signal being emitted from one of the victim’s smartwatches during the early morning hours of Friday, July 18, 2025.

The wreckage was eventually discovered in dense forest just outside the national park, nearly ten days after the plane went missing.

Among those killed was Madison Faith Conover, a 23-year-old aspiring pilot who was just four months shy of her 24th birthday. Known for her ambition and dedication, Madison held multiple jobs—working as a sales associate at Zumiez, a cook at Chili’s, and a team leader at Tractor Supply Co. In her free time, she pursued her passions: learning to fly, skateboarding, and watching movies.

Also on board was her father, Rodney Conover, 60, a professional pilot for Southwest Airlines. He and his wife, Jhoselyn, lived in Nashville, Tennessee.

The third victim, Kurt Enoch Robey, 55, was a family friend and a resident of Utah.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the FAA. However, preliminary findings suggest the Piper PA-28 went down shortly after takeoff under still-unclear circumstances.

According to FAA records, the registered owner of the aircraft was Gregory K. Hendrix of Lindon, Utah.

PREVIOUS: YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, MT — July 28, 2025 — Three people, including two Middle Tennessee residents, tragically died in a plane crash near Yellowstone National Park earlier this month. The victims were located after investigators tracked a signal emitted from one of the victim’s Apple smart watches.

The crash occurred around midnight on Friday, July 18, shortly after the single-engine Piper PA-28 aircraft departed from West Yellowstone Airport. The plane was eventually discovered in a heavily wooded area just outside the national park, nearly ten days after the disappearance.

Among those killed was Madison Faith Conover, a 23-year-old aspiring pilot who was just four months shy of her 24th birthday. Known for her ambition and dedication, Madison held multiple jobs, working as a sales associate at Zumiez, a cook at Chili’s, and a team leader at Tractor Supply Co. When she wasn't working, she was pursuing her passions—learning to fly, skateboarding, and enjoying movies.

Also aboard the flight was her father, Rodney Conover, 60, a professional pilot for Southwest Airlines. He and his wife, Jhoselyn, lived in Nashville, Tennessee.

The third victim, Kurt Enoch Robey, 55, was a friend of the Conover family and a resident of Utah.

Search and rescue teams had been combing the region since the plane disappeared but were unsuccessful until they received a breakthrough—data from one of the victim's Apple smart watches still transmitting a signal. That location data ultimately led authorities to the wreckage and the deceased victims.

The cause of the crash is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), but preliminary reports suggest the Piper PA-28 went down shortly after takeoff under still-unclear circumstances.

This tragic event has shaken both the Middle Tennessee and Utah communities as they mourn the lives lost and await answers from the ongoing federal investigation.