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Identities of West Glacier Plane Crash Victims Released

Three people were killed in two separate plane crashes at Ryan Field in West Glacier in the last month

By Maggie Dresser
Flathead County Sheriff’s Office vehicles parked at the Flathead County Justice Center in Kalispell on March 31, 2025. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office has identified the victims who were killed in two separate plane crashes that occurred recently at a private recreational airstrip in West Glacier.

Thomas Gladden, 76, of Spokane, Wash. and Dwight Steffanson, 69, of Walla Walla, Wash. were killed when their private aircraft went off the runway at Ryan Field on the morning of July 26.

During a separate accident on Aug. 12, Richard Chapman, 81, of Minden, Nev. crashed a single-engine airplane while attempting to land at Ryan Field.

Ryan Field is a private airfield owned by the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF). It was donated by Ben and Butchie Ryan, according to the RAF website.

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