Ice Road Truckers star Darrell Ward dies in US plane crash

ICE Road Trucker Darrell Ward has died in a plane crash. Ironically, the 52-year-old was about to begin filming a documentary about the recovery of plane wrecks.

Ice Trucker Darrell Ward has died in a plane crash. Picture: Facebook/Darrell Ward.

A PLANE crash in western Montana killed a star of the History channel reality series Ice Road Truckers as he returned home to film a pilot episode of a show about recovering plane wrecks.

Darrell Ward, 52, of Deer Lodge, died in the fiery crash on Sunday on the shoulder of Interstate 90 southeast of Missoula, History spokeswoman Susan Ievoli confirmed.

Pilot Mark Melotz appeared to be trying to land at a small airstrip when “something went drastically wrong,” Missoula County sheriff’s Captain Bill Burt said.

Family and friends who were waiting for them said the aeroplane appeared to stall, then went through a strand of trees, hitting some of them, Burt said.

Branches were thrown onto the highway.

Melotz, 56, of Arlee, bought the Cessna 182 on Friday, Burt said.

He had flown the aeroplane to Missoula, where he picked up Ward.

“As best we know, it was a trip from Missoula to that airstrip to visit some friends,” Burt said.

Ward appeared on five seasons of Ice Road Truckers, which follows drivers taking supplies in big rigs across frozen lakes to work camps and remote towns.

He drove in Alaska and Canada.

“We are saddened by the tragic loss of Darrell Ward, a beloved member of the Historyfamily,” the channel said in a statement.

“He will be greatly missed and our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.”

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the cause of the crash.

He was part of the show for four seasons. Picture: Facebook/Darrell Ward.