Plane Crash At Kalispell City Airport Ignites Two Aircraft

Kalispell had quite the scare Monday afternoon when a small plane crash- landed at Kalispell City Airport and ended up sparking fires on another aircraft.

According to Kalispell Fire Chief Jay Hagen, the plane, carrying four people from out of state, was on approach just after 2 p.m. when something went wrong. The pilot lost control during landing, sending the aircraft skidding down the runway and into a parked plane. Both planes ignited, and flames spread into nearby grass before fire crews brought it under control.

“It was described to me as like a Frisbee,” Hagen said, gesturing to mimic the wild trajectory.

Miraculously, all four passengers escaped, with only two sustaining very minor injuries treated on scene. No one was inside the stationary aircraft that was struck. Kalispell, Smith Valley, Whitefish, and Evergreen fire departments worked quickly with foam to douse the flames, stopping the fire from spreading further. Kalispell Police and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office also responded.

The Federal Aviation Administration will now take over the investigation, looking into what caused the botched landing. Part of the taxiway and runway will be cordoned off while evidence is collected, and it’s not yet clear how long that section of the airport will be impacted.

@chrystalh995plane crash in Kalispell, Montana 8/11♬ original sound - chos

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For now, the good news is everyone walked away. The bad news, two planes are total losses, and the airport community has a fresh reminder of just how quickly things can go from routine to chaos.