Alabama Pilot and His Two Daughters Found Dead After Plane Crash in Montana’s Remote Wilderness — “They Were the Light of Each Other’s Lives”
An Alabama family’s journey turned to heartbreak when a small private plane carrying a father and his two daughters went down in Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness. The tragic discovery was confirmed after a massive search effort that stretched across rugged terrain and remote forested mountains. Authorities later identified the victims as 67-year-old pilot Richard Boland and his two daughters, Katherine and Elizabeth, both in their twenties.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane — a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza — departed from an airport in Idaho on a planned route to Hamilton, Montana, before losing contact with air traffic controllers on Sunday afternoon. Search and rescue teams from multiple agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service and local sheriff’s offices, launched an intensive aerial and ground search shortly after. The wreckage was found the following day in a steep, heavily wooded section of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, about 50 miles west of Great Falls.
Officials confirmed that all three passengers were deceased upon discovery. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are now investigating the cause of the crash. Early reports indicate the area experienced rapidly changing weather conditions, with low visibility and strong winds that may have contributed to the accident.
For friends and loved ones back home in Alabama, the news came as an unthinkable shock. Richard Boland, known as “Rick” among friends, was described as a passionate pilot and devoted father who loved flying as much as he loved sharing adventures with his daughters. “He was the kind of person who made you feel safe,” one longtime friend shared. “You always knew you were in good hands when Rick was in the cockpit.”
Both daughters were following in their father’s footsteps of kindness and ambition. Katherine was studying business administration at Auburn University, while Elizabeth had recently graduated and was preparing for a career in healthcare. They were described as inseparable — sisters who not only shared a deep bond with each other but also with their father, who often took them on weekend flying trips across the country.
In a heartbreaking social media post, a close family friend shared a photo of the three smiling together beside a small plane, taken just weeks before the crash. “They were the light of each other’s lives,” the caption read. “Their love for flying and for each other was something you could feel just by being around them.”
As investigators continue to piece together what happened, the Boland family is focusing on honoring the memory of three lives that meant so much to so many. A community vigil is being planned in their hometown of Birmingham, where friends and neighbors are expected to gather to share memories and celebrate their lives.
Montana authorities praised the coordinated search efforts, noting how difficult it was to reach the crash site in such challenging terrain. “It’s one of the most remote areas in the state,” a sheriff’s spokesperson said. “Our hearts go out to the family — this was a heartbreaking discovery for everyone involved.”
For those who knew them, Rick, Katherine, and Elizabeth Boland will be remembered not by the way their lives ended, but by the way they lived — full of love, adventure, and an unbreakable family bond. Their story, though unbearably sad, is also a reminder of the fragility of life and the beauty of moments shared with the people we hold closest.
