By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- A single-engine turboprop carrying a pilot and 11 passengers on a skydiving outing crashed and caught fire in a field near Butler Memorial Airport in Butler, Mo., shortly after takeoff around 11:30 a.m. Sunday, June 14, 2026, killing all 12 people aboard.
- The aircraft, a Pacific Aerospace 750XL built in 2010, was operated by Skydive Kansas City; acting airport manager Dennis Jacobs said the plane appeared to lose power after takeoff and stalled while attempting to reach a nearby highway.
- Bates County Sheriff Chad Anderson said some victims’ family members witnessed the crash; officials were working Sunday afternoon to identify victims and notify next of kin, with clergy and volunteers dispatched to assist relatives.
- The Federal Aviation Administration responded to the scene Sunday, and a National Transportation Safety Board team was en route to lead the investigation; Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Justin Ewing said the cause of the crash has not yet been determined.
- Butler Memorial Airport and the adjacent highway remained closed while federal investigators worked the scene; Sheriff Anderson said the public faces no danger and described the crash as appearing to be an accident.
BUTLER, Mo. — A plane carrying a pilot and 11 skydiving passengers crashed in a field and was engulfed in flames shortly after takeoff from Butler Memorial Airport on Sunday, killing everyone aboard, according to local and federal authorities.
The crash occurred around 11:30 a.m. as the aircraft, a single-engine turboprop operated by Skydive Kansas City, attempted to climb after departure. Bates County Sheriff Chad Anderson said some family members of those aboard witnessed the crash from the ground. Emergency vehicles responded in large numbers to the scene near the airport, and clergy and volunteers were dispatched to assist relatives while officials worked to identify victims and notify next of kin.
Dennis Jacobs, the airport’s acting manager and director of the Bates County Emergency Management Agency, said the aircraft had just taken off and made a left turn before going down. “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,” Jacobs said. Emergency responders extinguished the resulting fire shortly after the crash. First responders also searched the area beneath the flight path and found no indication that any occupants had attempted to exit the aircraft before impact.
The aircraft was identified as a Pacific Aerospace 750XL, a model commonly used for skydiving operations as well as cargo transport, aerial surveying, and medical evacuation flights, according to the manufacturer. FAA records show the plane was built in 2010. Flight tracking data from FlightAware indicated the aircraft had completed two short flights earlier Sunday, two on Saturday, and five on Friday prior to the crash.
The Federal Aviation Administration responded to the scene Sunday afternoon, and a National Transportation Safety Board team was en route to lead the investigation. Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Justin Ewing said the specific factors contributing to the crash have not yet been determined and will be addressed through the NTSB’s investigation, which officials said is not expected to produce a final report for a year or more. Sheriff Anderson said the crash appears to be an accident and emphasized that there is no ongoing danger to the public. Butler Memorial Airport and the adjacent highway remained closed Sunday while federal investigators worked the scene. The airport, which serves approximately 30 privately owned aircraft, is located in Butler, a town of approximately 4,300 residents roughly 65 miles south of Kansas City.