12 dead after plane full of skydivers CRASHES just after takeoff from Missouri airport
A pilot and 11 paratroopers died when a private plane crashed in Butler, Missouri, on Sunday morning.
A spokesperson for Bates County Emergency Management and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told the Daily Mail that the Pacific Aerospace P750 type plane crashed at 11:30 a.m. shortly after takeoff.
The plane took off from Butler Memorial Airport ‘because it was unable to climb sufficiently’ and attempted to turn left to land on a nearby motorway, the spokesman told the Daily Mail.
“The plane failed to land” and crashed near the Business 49 Freeway, the spokesman confirmed.
Eleven of the victims were skydivers from Skydive Kansas City, while the other victim was a pilot. All passengers on the plane died.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the identities of the passengers. It is not clear whether the passengers were training the paratroopers, who were their bosses.
When contacted by a reporter at the Daily Mail, a representative of Skydive Kansas City emphasized that they “can’t talk about this right now” before abruptly ending the call.
Local police, first responders and the Missouri State Highway Patrol are at the scene of the flaming wreckage.
A Bates County Emergency Management spokesperson told Fox4 that the plane crashed just after takeoff at 11:30 a.m.
A pilot and 11 paratroopers died when a private plane crashed in Butler, Missouri, on Sunday morning.
Aerial view of Butler Memorial Airport
All lanes of the highway, which extends a half-mile north and south of the crash site, remain closed, emergency management officials said.
No timeline for reopening the road has been announced.
The crash scene was secured with police tape as local law enforcement was on scene.
‘The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate. The FAA told the Daily Mail that the NTSB will lead the investigation.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Missouri State Highway Patrol for comment.
Butler, Missouri is approximately 65 miles south of Kansas City.
Skydive Kansas City is a ‘leading skydiving center’ located in Orange St Butler, Missouri.
The company has been in business since 1998 and serves the Kansas City, Topeka and Overland Park community.
Skydive Kansas City resort headquarters
The skydiving center was founded by father-son duo Chris and John Hall, united by their passion for the adrenaline-pumping sport.
John has been skydiving since 1973 and according to their website has ‘witnessed the growth of the industry from old military round parachutes to today’s modern ram-air canopies’.
He was long considered one of the area’s top show jumpers, performing aerial stunts throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area since the early 1970s.
Chris started skydiving at the age of 18 and has expert skills in freefall photography. He competed in the ESPN X Games Pro Tour in 1996, according to his website.
The Pacific Aerospace P750 aircraft was originally designed for the narrow skydiving market.
The plane’s high-lift wings and powerful engine allow it to efficiently carry a full load of parachutists to an altitude of 12,000 feet before returning to land in about 10 minutes.
