12 killed in Missouri skydiving plane crash
A private skydiving aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff near Butler Memorial Airport in Missouri, killing all 12 people on board, including the pilot.
A single-engine Pacific Aerospace P750 operated by Skydive Kansas City went down shortly after departing Butler Memorial Airport, about 60 miles south of Kansas City, on Sunday morning. The aircraft failed to gain altitude, made a sharp left turn and impacted the ground roughly 300 yards from the runway, near a highway, according to airport manager and emergency management director Dennis Jacobs.
All 12 occupants – 11 skydivers and the pilot – were killed, the skydiving company said in a statement. First responders searched the flight path for signs that anyone might have attempted to bail out, but found none.
The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation and expects to reach the crash site on Monday, with a final report anticipated within 12 to 24 months. Bates County Sheriff Chad Anderson told a press conference that the incident appears to be an accident, adding that some family members of the victims witnessed the crash.
Emergency crews arrived at the scene, where the wreckage was described as a pile of blue and silver metal on the grass, and a battery of vehicles responded to the incident.
