No injuries reported in plane crash near Marion

No injuries were reported Sunday after a small single-engine plane clipped a power line and crashed into a stand of trees near Round Mountain Loop in the Marion area west of Kalispell.

According to Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino, a Mooney M20 single-engine passenger plane struggled to ascend during takeoff from the nearby Cabin Creek landing strip, struck a power line and crashed at about 11:20 a.m.

Marion Fire Chief Katie Mast said 911 calls began coming in shortly after the crash.

"We had some calls from several people who said they heard a boom and one or two who actually heard the crash," Mast said. "The boom was probably the transformer on the power line blowing, so it's lucky that several people heard that and alerted us."

Along with the Marion Fire Department, Flathead County Search and Rescue, the ALERT helicopter and a representative from Glacier Park International Airport began a search and quickly found the uninjured pilot and passenger at the crash site not far from U.S. 2.

"They took out the power line and a few trees before spinning into a small pocket of trees, but both occupants were out of the plane and appeared uninjured when we arrived," Mast said. "They were incredibly lucky. In fact, they were some of the calmest crash victims I have seen at any emergency scene I have ever been to, much less a plane crash."

Officials didn't identify either of the plane's occupants, but Federal Aviation Administration records show the aircraft is registered to Erik J. Leland of Beaverton, Washington.

One nearby landowner reported the downed power lines sparked a fire on her property, but the flames were quickly contained and extinguished.

Mast said members of the Flathead County Sheriff's Posse would remain at the scene until officials from the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board arrive to conduct an investigation into the crash.

Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 406-758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com. Reporter Jeremy Weber may be reached at 406 758-4446 or jweber@dailyinterlake.com.