Smartwatch Enables Rescue Teams to Locate Fatal Montana Plane Crash

Authorities in Montana used data from a smartwatch worn by one of the passengers to locate a small Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee B plane that crashed in dense timber south of West Yellowstone. The plane disappeared after taking off just before midnight on July 17, and the crash was confirmed on July 18, resulting in the deaths of all three occupants: Rodney Conover, 60, Madison Conover, 23, both from Tennessee, and Kurt Enoch Robey, 55, from Utah. Search and rescue teams, including multiple divisions and support from the U.S. Forest Service and local fire districts, responded promptly after the smartwatch data helped narrow the search area. The victims were recovered and airlifted out, with investigations by the FAA and NTSB ongoing to determine the cause of the crash. Family members of the victims have been notified, and officials have expressed condolences to the families. The use of the smartwatch data was crucial in quickly locating the crash site in a heavily wooded region.