A major aviation incident unfolded on Monday, August 11, 2025, at Kalispell City Airport in Montana when two planes collided, setting off a chain of explosions and a massive fire that lit up the runway.
According to official reports, a single-engine Socata TBM 700 carrying four people was attempting to land when the pilot lost control. The aircraft struck several stationary planes parked along the runway, causing multiple blasts that quickly ignited fires across the tarmac and into nearby grassy areas.
Witnesses described the moment of impact as deafening. “It sounded like if you were to stick your head inside a bass drum and someone smacked it as hard as they could,” recalled Ron Danielson, manager of a nearby inn.
Kalispell Fire Chief Jay Hagen confirmed that all four occupants managed to exit the plane without assistance. Two sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the plane had departed from Pullman, Washington. FAA records list the aircraft, built in 2011, as owned by Meter Sky LLC of Pullman. The company has yet to release a statement.
Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke said his team was on site following the accident. “Praise God no lives were lost. We stand ready to assist local authorities and the airport as they manage this unfortunate event,” he said.
Aviation safety consultant Jeff Guzzetti noted that while rare, collisions with parked planes occur a few times a year in general aviation. He referenced a February crash in Arizona involving a Learjet owned by musician Vince Neil, which claimed one life.
The airport was temporarily closed as investigators began examining the cause of the crash.
This incident comes just days after another aviation tragedy — a military helicopter crash in Ghana’s Ashanti Region that killed eight high-profile passengers, including Defence Minister Dr Edward Omane Boamah. The string of recent accidents has reignited global conversations about aviation safety protocols.
