On the afternoon of May 8, 1987, 29-year-old David Scott Partlow, known as Dave, disappeared in Flathead County, Montana, after embarking on a hang gliding excursion with three friends from Blaine Mountain, located northeast of Kalispell. While his friends navigated their gliders south, unforeseen heavy winds propelled Partlow northward, pushing him off course. His hang glider was not built to withstand such extreme weather conditions, and he was observed being drawn upward and out of sight.
An official search for Partlow was initiated, involving as many as 80 people, most of whom were volunteers, and two helicopters. However, the Flathead County Sheriff's Department called off the search after two days, having found no clues as to his whereabouts. Despite the official search ending, Partlow's friends continued to look for him.
Several weeks later, a pilot spotted the reflection of Partlow's hang glider in a clearing on the east side of Columbia Mountain, approximately seven miles north of their launch point.
The glider, though it appeared to have had a rough landing, was largely intact, and there was no indication that Partlow had been injured. His parachute had been deployed and was found lying flat on the ground, possibly used for warmth. Partlow's helmet and his rucksack, which contained some survival supplies, were also discovered at the landing site. It is believed that he would have seen the Hungry Horse Reservoir before landing and may have attempted to walk downhill towards it. This would have immediately led him into deep snow. Searchers later discovered a wool sock and fragments of an insulated vest, believed to belong to Partlow, down the east side of the mountain.
David Partlow had a background that included survival training from his time in the Air Force. He was a graduate of Ritzville High School in Washington and had taken college courses at two community colleges in the Spokane, Washington area following his military service. In 1986, he relocated to Kalispell with his girlfriend. Investigators theorize that despite his training, Partlow was not adequately dressed for the severe cold and rugged terrain and likely succumbed to exposure shortly after his disappearance. His body has never been recovered. In 2019, his mother was able to obtain a death certificate for him.Last Seen: May 8, 1987
