12 Presumed Dead After Skydiving Plane Crash in Missouri
All 12 people aboard a skydiving plane that crashed shortly after takeoff in Butler, Missouri, on Sunday are presumed dead, according to authorities. The aircraft, operated by Skydive Kansas City, went down around 11:30 a.m. near Butler Memorial Airport, carrying 11 skydivers and one pilot.
The Crash
The Pacific Aerospace P750, a single-engine turboprop built in 2010, was unable to gain altitude after takeoff and made a sharp left turn before crashing nose-first in a field adjacent to Business Interstate 49, according to NBC News. The plane was engulfed in flames upon impact, though emergency crews extinguished the fire shortly afterward.
Dennis Jacobs, acting airport manager at Butler Memorial Airport and Bates County Emergency Management Agency director, witnessed the crash and told The Associated Press that the pilot may have been attempting an emergency landing on the highway after losing power.
“It had just taken off and made a left turn,” Jacobs said. “In my opinion, I think it was losing power, and he was trying to make it over to the highway and land, and he stalled and went down nose first and caught fire.”
Emergency Response
Bates County Sheriff Chad Anderson described the crash as a “mass casualty” event during a Sunday afternoon news briefing. He noted that a 911 call reporting the incident came in moments before the aircraft crashed, and that some family members of those on board witnessed the tragedy from the airport.
“There’s nothing we really can say to make it better,” Anderson said, according to NBC News. “We just pray for them and their loved ones, and their friends and their family and hope that they can recover to some sense of normalcy.”
Local law enforcement, including the Butler Police Department, Bates County Sheriff’s Office, and Missouri State Highway Patrol, responded to the scene. Both Business Interstate 49 and Butler Memorial Airport remain closed while federal investigators are on site.
Investigation Underway
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation, with the Federal Aviation Administration also participating. The NTSB said it is collecting information and “will likely launch a team” to investigate the cause of the crash. Authorities believe the incident was an accident, and no indication of criminal activity has been found.
FlightAware data shows the aircraft had completed two short flights on Sunday before the crash, as well as two successful flights on Saturday and five on Friday.
Community in Mourning
Skydive Kansas City released a statement expressing profound grief over the loss, as reported by KCTV.
“Tragically, all 12 individuals aboard lost their lives in the accident,” the company said. “This is a devastating loss for everyone connected to Skydive Kansas City and for the wider skydiving community.”
The company confirmed it is a USPA Group Member Dropzone in good standing and said it is cooperating fully with investigators.
Travis Phippen, a friend of two victims, told KCTV that the skydiving community is close-knit and the loss is deeply felt.
“This group of people, they love life,” Phippen said. “They love experiencing the most life has to offer.”
Rep. Mark Alford (R-Mo.), who represents the district, visited the scene and offered support to the community. “It’s tragic. You can never replace those lives, but we can tell their stories,” he said, according to ABC News.
Broader Safety Concerns
The crash has renewed attention on skydiving safety oversight. Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti, a former NTSB and FAA crash investigator, told the AP that skydiving companies operate under the same FAA rules as private plane owners, not the stricter regulations governing charter flights and airlines.
“There’s been a whole history of skydiving accidents for inadequate maintenance and deficient safety culture,” Guzzetti said.
The NTSB has previously raised concerns about weak FAA oversight of skydiving operators, particularly after a 2019 crash in Hawaii that killed 11 people.
What’s Next
Authorities are working to identify the victims and notify next of kin. The NTSB investigation is expected to take a year or more to produce a final report. Investigators will examine maintenance records, pilot qualifications, weather conditions, and the aircraft’s mechanical systems in determining the cause of one of the deadliest aviation incidents in recent Missouri history.