12 people killed after a skydiving plane crashes in Missouri

Twelve people died after an aircraft used for skydiving crashed and caught fire shortly after takeoff near Butler Memorial Airport in Missouri, reported state and federal authorities.

The victims include 11 passengers and the pilot, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The accident occurred Sunday near Butler, a town of approximately 4,300 residents located about 105 kilometers south of Kansas City.

According to authorities, the emergency was reported around 11:30 a.m., when an alert was received about an aircraft that had crashed in a field adjacent to the airport and was engulfed in flames.

Sgt. Justin Ewing of the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that the plane was carrying people participating in a skydiving activity. All occupants were found dead near the crash site.

"That scene was brutal," Ewing told The Associated Press, describing the response efforts carried out by the emergency teams that arrived at the scene.

Emergency operation

Members of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Butler Police Department and the Bates County Sheriff's Office participated in the rescue and containment efforts.

The teams managed to extinguish the fire shortly after the crash and established a security perimeter around the area. Additionally, authorities inspected the area along the aircraft’s flight path to rule out the possibility that any occupants had managed to jump before the crash.

According to the official report, no survivors were found nor were there any indications that anyone had left the aircraft before the crash.

Investigation underway

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that no air traffic control services were being provided at the airport at the time of the accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will take over the investigation to determine the causes of the crash, while FAA specialists also traveled to the scene to assist with the investigation.

Authorities indicated that the investigation will examine both the flight’s operational conditions and the mechanical condition of the aircraft.

Aircraft used for skydiving

According to FAA records cited by the AP, the crashed aircraft was a Pacific Aerospace 750XL, a single-engine turboprop manufactured in 2010 and frequently used for skydiving operations due to its ability to transport groups of skydivers at high altitudes.

The aircraft was operated by Skydive Kansas City, as confirmed by Dennis Jacobs, interim manager of Butler Airport and director of the Bates County Emergency Management Agency.

Jacobs explained that the plane “had just taken off and turned left” before crashing to the ground. Although he emphasized that the official cause will be determined by federal investigators, he noted that, in his opinion, the aircraft appeared to be losing power.

"I think it was losing power and the pilot was trying to reach the road to land, but it lost lift, nosedived, and caught fire," Jacobs told the AP.