Overview
- A single‑engine turboprop carrying 11 skydivers and a pilot failed to gain altitude, made a sharp left turn and crashed about 300 yards from Butler Memorial Airport on Sunday, killing everyone aboard.
- Teams from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have taken over the on‑site probe, closed the airport and nearby highway, and are examining wreckage and flight data.
- First responders extinguished a post‑crash fire, canvassed the flight path and found no signs anyone jumped before impact, and authorities have completed next‑of‑kin notifications.
- The aircraft was identified as a Pacific Aerospace P750XL built in 2010 and operated by Skydive Kansas City, with flight‑tracking records showing several short flights earlier that day.
- The crash has renewed scrutiny of skydiving safety because operators follow private aviation rules with less stringent oversight, and local officials and parachuting groups have mobilized grief counseling and support for families.