On August 11, 2025, at 14:07 Local Time (LT), a single-engine Socata TBM 700N (TBM 850) turboprop aircraft (registration N860CA) crashed during an unstable landing attempt at Kalispell City Airport (S27) in Kalispell, Flathead County, Montana.

While attempting to land on Runway 13/31, the pilot lost directional and aerodynamic control following a low-altitude stall. The aircraft veered off the active runway and collided with several parked airplanes in the general aviation tie-down apron, triggering a severe post-impact fire. Despite the complete destruction of the primary aircraft and multiple parked airframes, all four occupants on board the TBM 850 survived with minor injuries.

1. Tactical Incident Breakdown

• Date & Local Time: August 11, 2025 | 14:07 LT
• Location: Kalispell City Airport (S27 / 1880 Highway 93 South), Kalispell, Montana, USA
• Aircraft Model: Daher-Socata TBM 700N (TBM 850)
• Civil Registration: N860CA
• Operator: Decagon Services Inc.
• Flight Phase: Final Approach / Touchdown Phase
• Flight Type: General Aviation / Private Passenger Transport
• Flight Route: Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport (PUW) ──► Kalispell City Airport (S27)
• Occupants: 4 Total (1 Pilot | 3 Passengers)
• Casualties: 0 Fatalities | 4 Minor Injuries (100% Onboard Survival)
• Ground / Parked Airframe Damage:
  • Socata TBM 850 (N860CA): Destroyed by impact and post-crash fire
  • Swearingen SX-300 (N350G): Destroyed by post-crash fire
  • Piper PA-28-151 Cherokee (N151MM): Substantially damaged by collision
  • Cessna 172: Thermal wing damage
• Investigating Authority: National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) / Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

2. Sequence of Events & Flight Dynamics

[Unstable High Approach to Runway] ──► [Throttle Reduced to Idle] ──► [Low-Altitude Aerodynamic Stall] ──► [Loss of Control & Apron Impact] ──► [Parked Airframe Collisions & Fuel Ignition]

• Unstable Approach Vector: The high-performance single-engine turboprop entered the visual approach pattern at Kalispell City Airport excessively high relative to the glide slope.
• Power Reduction & Stall: To lose altitude rapidly, the pilot reduced the Pratt & Whitney PT6A-66D engine power to idle. The sudden loss of airspeed at low altitude resulted in an aerodynamic stall just above the runway threshold.
• Impact & Fireball: The aircraft struck the runway surface hard, veered out of control into the general aviation parking ramp, and slammed into several parked aircraft. The collision severed fuel lines, igniting a high-intensity fire that consumed the TBM 850 and an adjacent Swearingen SX-300 experimental aircraft.
• Emergency Response: First responders from the Kalispell Police Department, Kalispell Fire Department, and regional assisting agencies arrived on scene within minutes, extinguishing the fires and providing emergency triage to the four occupants.

3. Incident Summary Data & NTSB Findings