A routine landing turned into a fiery emergency Monday afternoon when a small plane carrying four people crashed into a parked aircraft at a northwest Montana airport, triggering a massive fireball on the tarmac.
The crash happened around 2 p.m. at Kalispell City Airport. Witnesses say the single-engine Socata TBM 700 turboprop skidded across the runway “like a Frisbee” before colliding with the stationary plane. Within seconds, flames and thick black smoke filled the air.
Miraculously, all four people on board escaped the wreckage on their own. Two suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene, Kalispell Fire Chief Jay Hagen confirmed. The blaze briefly spread to nearby grass before being contained by emergency crews.
Multiple agencies… including Kalispell police and fire, plus Evergreen, Smith, and Whitefish fire departments… rushed to the scene. Officials have blocked off part of the runway, and the Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation into what caused the crash.
FAA records show the plane is registered to Meter Sky LLC of Pullman, Washington.
