Four Killed in Montana Wilderness Helicopter Crash

Family members of former Illinois state lawmaker and Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey were killed in a helicopter crash in Montana on Wednesday, his campaign announced Thursday.

Bailey’s son Zachary Bailey, daughter-in-law Kelsey Bailey, and their two children, Vada Rose, 12, and Samuel, 7, died when the aircraft went down in a remote area of eastern Montana. The couple’s third child was not on board.

“Darren and Cindy are heartbroken by this unimaginable loss. They are finding comfort in their faith, their family, and the prayers of so many who love and care for them,” the Bailey campaign said in a statement.

Zachary Bailey, who was piloting the helicopter, had traveled to Montana on a business trip aimed at expanding the family’s use of helicopters for their farming operations, according to Aaron Del Mar, Bailey’s running mate and family spokesperson.

The Bailey family operates a farm in south-central Illinois, which Zachary and his brothers helped manage.

Darren Bailey previously served in both the Illinois House and Senate and was the Republican nominee in the 2022 Illinois governor’s race. He has announced plans to run again in 2026.

Federal authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.

The tragedy comes just days after another fatal aircraft accident in Montana. On Friday, the Powell County Sheriff’s Office was alerted to a possible downed plane in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, northeast of Seeley Lake. The wreckage was found Saturday morning in a remote, wooded area near Youngs Creek.

Authorities said a pilot from Alabama and his two daughters were killed in that crash. All three were pronounced dead at the scene. Mark Anderson was 62 years old, Lainey was 22 years old and Ellie was 17 years old at the time of the crash.