# NTSB WPR26LA020: Piper PA-23-250, N2345R, Condon, MT, October 17, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: October 17, 2025, 16:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place: Condon, MT · wilderness area
- Coordinates: 47.24, -113.17
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.2400&lon=-113.1700&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 3 fatal
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Piper Aircraft, Federal Aviation Administration, Lycoming Engines
- NTSB case key (mKey): 201889
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR26LA020
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201889/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA020

## Preliminary report

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.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-23-250, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=7102308), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)
- [Maneuvering: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-23-250, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102308), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2345R](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2345R), registered now, S/N 27-8154019, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-23-250
- Registry model: [Piper PA-23-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-250) (registry code 7102308) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 27-8154019
- Year built: 1981
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Blue Wave Air LLC
- Registered owner: Blue Wave Air LLC
- Departed: BIL, Billings, MT
- Destination: 8S1, Polson, MT

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Dusk
- Wind: 240° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 8,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Icing: Rime
- Observed at: 7S0, 36 nm away
- METAR: K7S0 172215Z AUTO 24017KT 10SM FEW065 SCT075 BKN085 11/02 A2981 RMK A01=

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20251017016219A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251017016219A), Oct 17, 2025: Piper PA-23-250, Condon, MT, Destroyed, 3 fatal. On October 17, 2025, the aircraft left billings international airport (kbil) at approximately 20:02Z en route to polson airport (8S1). In review of the weather…

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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