11 skydivers, pilot killed in Missouri plane crash near Butler airport
A single-engine turboprop carrying a pilot and 11 skydivers crashed just after takeoff from a small airport in western Missouri on Sunday, killing everyone aboard, authorities confirmed. The aircraft, operated by Skydive Kansas City, went down about 300 yards from the runway at Butler Memorial Airport around 11:20 a.m. local time, according to Dennis Jacobs, the acting airport manager and Bates County emergency management director.
Jacobs told reporters that the plane had lifted off, failed to establish visual altitude, banked sharply to the left and plunged into a field. Emergency responders arrived to find the wreckage engulfed in flames. No one was able to exit the aircraft before impact, he added. The plane had not yet climbed high enough to be in contact with air traffic control.
Missouri State Highway Patrol Sergeant Justin Ewing said authorities are working to notify the victims' families, and the names have not been publicly released. “It’s horrible,” Jacobs said of the scene. The Butler Police Department and Bates County Sheriff’s Office are assisting with the response.
The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation, and the Federal Aviation Administration has been notified. A spokesperson said officials are gathering details about the incident, which marks one of the deadliest skydiving-related crashes in recent U.S. history.
According to the U.S. Parachute Association, there have been eight fatal skydiving aircraft accidents in the past decade, resulting in 25 deaths before this tragedy. The aircraft involved, a Pacific Aerospace 750XL built in 2010, is commonly used for skydiving but also for cargo, aerial surveying and medical evacuation. It can carry up to 17 skydivers and operate from short runways.
Butler, a community of about 4,000 residents, lies roughly 65 miles south of Kansas City. Local officials described a somber mood as families began arriving at the scene. The crash site remains cordoned off while investigators document evidence.
This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.