12 K!lled As U.S. Skydiving Plane B¥rsts Into Fl∆mes, Cr∆shes Moments After Takeoff In Missouri
12 Killed As U.S. Skydiving Plane Bursts Into Flames, Crashes Moments After Takeoff In Missouri
According to local authorities, the single-engine turboprop aircraft crashed shortly after departing from the Butler Memorial Airport in Missouri at approximately 11:20 a.m. local time.
Atragic plane crash near a Missouri airport has claimed the lives of 12 people, including 11 skydivers and a pilot, after an aircraft carrying parachutists went down moments after takeoff on Sunday.
According to local authorities, the single-engine turboprop aircraft crashed shortly after departing from the Butler Memorial Airport in Missouri at approximately 11:20 a.m. local time.
Officials said the aircraft failed to gain sufficient visual altitude, executed a sudden left turn, and crashed into a field roughly 300 yards from the runway.
Dennis Jacobs, the acting airport manager and Bates County emergency management director, said the plane had only just become airborne when the incident occurred, meaning it had not yet climbed high enough to establish communication with air traffic control, according to CNN.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene after receiving reports of a downed aircraft engulfed in flames.
Search efforts were conducted both on foot and with drones to determine whether anyone had survived the impact.
Authorities later confirmed that all 12 people aboard the aircraft died in the crash. Jacobs said none of the skydivers managed to exit the aircraft before it slammed into the ground.
The aircraft was operated by Skydive Kansas City and was reportedly transporting passengers for a skydiving jump when the tragedy occurred.
Missouri Highway Patrol Sergeant Justin Ewing reportedly said the aircraft came down in a field adjacent to the airport.
Nearby roads were temporarily restricted as emergency crews secured the area and commenced investigations.
“The victims have not yet been publicly identified because family notifications are still ongoing,” Ewing said.
He added that the Missouri State Highway Patrol was assisting local authorities with coordinating support for relatives who had arrived at the crash scene.
Federal investigators have launched an inquiry into the accident. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is expected to lead the investigation, while the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has also been notified and is gathering information about the crash.
Describing the incident, Jacobs said simply, “It’s horrible.”
The Butler Police Department and the Bates County Sheriff’s Office were among the agencies responding to the scene.
The aircraft involved in the crash was identified as a Pacific Aerospace 750XL, a model widely used in the skydiving industry because of its ability to carry multiple jumpers and operate from relatively short runways.
FAA records indicate the aircraft was manufactured in 2010.
The Pacific Aerospace 750XL can accommodate up to 17 skydivers and is also used for cargo transportation, aerial surveys and medical evacuation missions.
The crash has renewed attention on safety concerns within the skydiving aviation sector.
Data from the US Parachute Association indicates that eight fatal aircraft accidents linked to skydiving operations occurred in the past decade, resulting in 25 deaths.
Butler, where the crash occurred, is located about 65 miles south of Kansas City in the US state of Missouri.
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/14/us/butler-missouri-plane-crash
