Two killed in plane crash near Forsyth [Video]

An airplane went down Tuesday afternoon near Forsyth, Montana, killing two people.

The federal government is investigating the wreck, and details are sparse regarding the circumstances of the crash.

The crash occurred Tuesday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The two people, a pilot and a passenger, were traveling in a Piper PA-18, a two-seat single-engine plane. Rosebud County authorities could not be immediately reached for more details on the accident.

Although local officials contribute to investigations in the wake of plane crashes, the ultimate authority in determining the cause of aircraft wrecks in the United States falls on the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board. In the past 10 years, NTSB has opened 26 investigations into aircraft crashes in Montana, according to data from the organization’s website. The majority of those wrecks involved single-engine, light aircraft.

Although NTSB investigations into plane crashes can take years to complete, the agency usually publishes preliminary crash details within weeks of the wreck.