Overview
- A single-engine Pacific Aerospace P750XL operated by Skydive Kansas City crashed on airport property near Butler Memorial Airport on June 14, killing the pilot and 11 skydivers.
- Authorities have identified all 12 victims, including 24-year-old Indian technology professional Sai Karthik Varma Datla, and have confirmed the flight carried nine experienced jumpers and two tandem passengers.
- The NTSB and FAA have opened an active investigation but have not determined a cause; witnesses and local officials reported the plane made an abrupt turn at low altitude and may have been losing power before a nose-first impact.
- Investigators face major evidence limits because a post-impact fire destroyed much of the wreckage and it is not yet known whether the private aircraft had cockpit voice or flight data recorders.
- The crash has raised questions about safety oversight for single-engine skydiving turboprops, and officials say a preliminary update may come in weeks while a full probable-cause report could take many months to more than a year.