BUTLER, Mo. — A devastating aviation accident claimed the lives of 12 people on Sunday morning after a private plane carrying a group of skydivers crashed shortly after takeoff near Butler Memorial Airport.
According to a spokesperson with Bates County Emergency Management and the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the aircraft was carrying 11 skydivers and one pilot. There are no survivors.
What Happened
Emergency responders received a call at approximately 11:30 a.m. reporting that a plane had gone down and was engulfed in flames.
The flight had just departed from Butler Memorial Airport (located about 65 miles south of Kansas City) when it abruptly turned around for an unknown reason. Moments later, the aircraft crashed into a field adjacent to the airport, near the area of Business 49 Highway.
Emergency Response and Investigation
First responders from the Butler Police Department, the Bates County Sheriff’s Office, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol quickly arrived on the scene. Due to the proximity of the crash site to the road, local authorities temporarily shut down the adjacent highway as a safety precaution.
Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Justin Ewing confirmed that the flight’s intent was to take the passengers up for a skydiving excursion before the technical malfunction or emergency occurred.
“It landed in a field adjacent to the airport… Emergency responders got a call that a plane was down and engulfed in fire around 11:30 a.m. Sunday morning.”
— Sgt. Justin Ewing, Missouri State Highway Patrol
The identities of the pilot and the 11 skydivers have not yet been publicly released pending notification of their families.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have been notified and will spearhead the investigation to determine what caused the aircraft to turn back and crash.
