By By Micheal Chukwuebuka
A small plane carrying four people crashed into parked aircraft at Kalispell City Airport on Monday, igniting a large fire but causing no serious injuries, authorities said.
The single-engine Socata TBM 700 turboprop, built in 2011 and registered to Meter Sky LLC of Pullman, Washington, was attempting to land around 2 p.m. when the pilot lost control, according to Kalispell Police Chief Jordan Venezio and the Federal Aviation Administration. The plane struck several parked aircraft, sparking fires that spread to a grassy area before being extinguished.
Two passengers sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene, while all occupants managed to exit the aircraft on their own, said Kalispell Fire Chief Jay Hagen.
Witnesses reported seeing the plane crash-land at the end of the runway before careening into another aircraft. Ron Danielson, who manages a nearby inn, described the impact as sounding like “sticking your head in a bass drum and somebody smacking it as hard as they could.”
The flight had originated in Pullman, Washington, the National Transportation Safety Board said. The NTSB and FAA are investigating the incident.
Aviation safety consultant Jeff Guzzetti noted that such collisions with parked planes occur a few times a year in general aviation. In a February case, a Learjet owned by musician Vince Neil veered off a runway in Scottsdale, Arizona, and hit a parked Gulfstream, killing one person.
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